An Exchange of Souls
by Miktap
Summary: Merlin finds himself held prisoner in Morgana's hovel. She has something up her sleeve to use on him, to make him her servant. But it backfires, and they find themselves in a rather unpleasant situation, in which they grudgingly need to work together to right it. Set during/after season 4 episode 6, "A Servant of Two Masters".
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Much of the dialogue in this first chapter is taken directly from season 4 episode 6, A Servant of Two Masters. This is a quick one, simply to set the stage, and from thereon in I will be taking the story in a completely different direction than the TV show. This is my first full length fic, so any reviews or suggestions you may have for me would be greatly appreciated! I had fun working on this, so I hope that it brings you some entertainment as well :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, its characters, locations, or plot lines. That credit goes to BBC. I simply toy with the characters for my own amusement, muahaha.**

 **An Exchange of Souls**

 **Chapter 1**

Groaning, Merlin slowly comes to. It doesn't take long for his eyes to adjust to the dark and gloomy surroundings, though he can't quite place where he is. There is something familiar about it, though...

He groans again when he realizes how stiff and achy his body is. The last thing he remembers is causing the rock slide to prevent the bandits from reaching Arthur. Stretching out his arms, he then proceeds to bring his hands to his face, trying to clear his mind.

Or, at least, he would have. Had his wrists not been bound and trussed to the ceiling of what he now recognizes as a hovel.

 _Oh no.._.

A feminine laugh comes from behind him, humourless and cold. "Good morning, _Merlin_. So very _kind_ of you to come for a visit," says the voice in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

 _Of course_ , he thinks. Sighing inwardly, he cranes his neck around to face the woman behind him as best he can. "Is it really?" he retorts, and without giving her a chance to reply, asks, "What are we doing here, Morgana?"

Morgana Pendragon feigns a look of confused surprise at his question, one of her trademark smirks already stretching across her lips. "Well, I don't know about _you_ , Merlin, but I am living here." The smirk and any sign of mirth disappear from her face now, leaving it stony and cold as she glares at him. "This is my home, after all, as I seem to recall you driving me out of my last one and forcing me to live in a hovel."

"Ah, yes, well," Merlin replies. "Could you let Arthur know? He still thinks of me as an underachiever, but I'm quite proud of that accomplishment. I can die happy."

The smirk returns to her face as she simply states, "Oh, you're not going to die." She leans in close to his face, quite obviously reveling in his discomfort. After dragging out the pause, she tells him in her silkiest voice, "I'm not going to make it that _easy_."

And with a quick turn on her heel, Morgana slinks away into the dark corner of her shack. Leaving Merlin to dwell on the very many possibilities of what she could do to him that would make death, of all things, seem easy.

* * *

Hours later, Merlin is still strung from the ceiling. As the day had progressed, and he had finally managed to shift his mind from the various forms of torture that he may soon endure, he came to feel just how very battered and bruised his body was. Having nothing else to do now but think about how sore he is makes his already foul mood even worse.

Needless to say, it shocks him when Morgana comes up to him with hot water and rags to sterilize and tend his wounds. She works in silence, brow delicately furrowed as she focuses on the task at hand. Merlin finds himself noticing just how close the two of them are right now, how close his face is to hers. At one point, years ago when he had a crush on her, this situation would have pleased him. Now, he simply finds it revolting. But the part of him that craves human companionship betrays him, and, feeling rather stupid, he notices his cheeks warm at their closeness.

"You know, there's one thing I don't understand, Merlin," Morgana begins in a deceptively conversational tone. "You're Arthur's servant, nothing more, yet time and again you've proved yourself willing to lay down your life for him."

He can't deal with this anymore. "What are you doing?" he grates out.

Rolling her eyes at him, she replies flatly, "Have you never seen Gaius clean a wound before?"

"All right, I know _what_ you're doing. What I want to know is _why._ "

She grabs his chin, forces him to look into her eyes. "I believe I asked you a question first." Stony silence follows. Then, "Why are you so loyal to Arthur?"

He mentally laughs at the absurdity of this question. She knows Arthur, she used to feel the same way. This is just another sign that the person she used to be is truly gone. "I don't expect you to understand, Morgana, you have no sense of duty, no sense of loyalty." He swallows hard.

She stares at him, and the moments drag by. "You're wrong," she finally says, her voice hard. "Don't think I don't understand loyalty just because I've got no one left to be loyal to."

As much as he has convinced himself that he hates her, would kill her to protect Arthur, this last statement sends a pang of sorrow through his heart. Because he knows that he has played a very large role in making her feel this way.

She finishes up as she started, in silence, except for the brief healing spell she mutters at the end. The tension that has been stirred up between them is palpable. As she starts to move away, she lets her hand linger on his collar bone. "You want to know why, Merlin?" she asks softly. He can only glare at her. She leans in again, this time intentionally so that her lips brush his ear. "I need a body that is in good shape for my... purposes."

And once again, she is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I know the first chapter was fairly vague about what is in store for Merlin, so this one should start to clarify things. And here is where it begins to veer off from the TV series. Also, thanks for the first few reviews! Being new to this I get overly excited when I see them posted, haha. Now, let's continue onto the second chapter, shall we?  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

It is the middle of the night, but she is still awake, poring over one of the tomes that contains endless spells of dark magic. It is critical that she gets this right. Otherwise all of her efforts will be wasted.

Morgana stands over the pot, with a sickly yellow liquid bubbling inside it. She has added a shred of the cloth, stained with Merlin's blood, with which she used to clean his wounds earlier. Time for the final ingredient. Taking her razor sharp dagger, she drags the blade across her palm. She pulls in a sharp breath through her teeth at the painful sting, but holds her hand steady as her own blood slowly drips into the potion. Immediately after hitting the surface of the liquid, there is a loud hissing noise and it turns a vibrant shade of orange.

Now is the time. She chants the spell that she has been memorizing, and the liquid bubbles in response. She finishes speaking, her eyes flash gold, and the potion settles. Carefully, she ladles some of it into a small flask and proceeds to compare it to the image in her book. The colour matches perfectly.

Relief washes over her, and she lets out a breath she hasn't known she's been holding. With this out of the way, the most difficult part is past. Now to store it away until it can be properly put to use. Morgana glances down at her palm, at the bright streak of red that stretches across it. Blood doesn't bother her, but pain does. Her own pain, at least. Maybe that's why she so enjoys causing the feeling in others, because she has been the victim of it, both physically and emotionally, so many times over.

She looks over at Merlin, smirking at his poor attempts to appear as though he is sleeping. She knows he has been watching her, doesn't trust her. He's right not to. And as much of an annoyance as it is to have to perform in front of an audience, she wants his mind as frail as possible for tomorrow, when she puts all of her efforts into action. The effect of paranoia and little sleep combined on him will do nicely.

Also, she has been using her own personal touch to throw him off his guard. She is well aware of the effect she has on men. Uses it on a regular basis, for example, with Agravaine. That, coupled with well timed threats, simply turns the man into a mess! Really, it's pathetic. Not that she would _do_ anything with him, her half brother's uncle, old enough to be her father. The thought is appalling. But he is a means to an end, and her method of control, simple as it may be, is extremely effective.

Morgana can see it flicker in his eyes, every time she throws a subtle innuendo into the conversation. Every time, it catches him unprepared, he has built up walls against her violence and anger but not this. _How very foolish of him_. She can use this, prey on his feelings to turn him into a quivering shell of a man. To slowly break him, bring him under her control. It's the least she could do after all that he has put her through.

Chuckling darkly, Morgana extinguishes the candles that light her hovel and climbs into her bed. She will need her rest for tomorrow.

For some unknown reason, the last thought to flash through her mind this night is not of her imminent victory, but rather of the servant hanging from her roof. Sending a long unfelt, but not entirely foreign, sensation of warmth fluttering through her stomach.

* * *

It seems to Merlin that he has just managed to finally fall asleep, only to be awoken rudely by cold water being thrown in his face. He sputters and flails, to no avail, and as his shocked body recovers he sees a smug looking Morgana standing in front of him. Holding a now empty bucket.

"I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you," she says. "I don't expect you to be surprised by this. But, I thought before we get started this morning, you may want to have at least some idea of what awaits you." Ever the accomplished actress, she pauses dramatically and flashes a sarcastic grin his way. One that he knows very well. He's not going to like what's coming.

"So, my dear Merlin. You are going to drink this potion I carefully prepared last night. Or rather, I will pour it down your throat.

"This will put you under my complete and utter control. In fact, any time I want, my consciousness will be able to infiltrate your mind, and I will be able to make you do anything I so desire.

"Imagine- Arthur goes about his day as normal, when suddenly his faithful manservant kills him with a swift stab to the back. Completely unaware that it was, in fact, me controlling his mind, _in_ his mind. And I will be able to evacuate it just as quickly, and you will take the fall."

She is practically vibrating with a sick sort of glee that makes Merlin want to retch. But what truly makes him sick to his stomach is the thought of her invading his mind, able to manipulate him like a marionette to her twisted will.

His thoughts fly through his head at an alarming rate. _Do I risk using my magic to stop her? Will this potion actually work? Will revealing my magic be enough to throw her off and allow me to escape? Or will that backfire? Should I-_

Too late. Morgana, not one to waste time, grabs him under the chin, once again forcing his face up. And suddenly a vile liquid is flowing into his mouth, down his throat, burning its way down to his stomach. He tries to fight it, to bring it back up, but somehow seems to have lost the ability to react in any way.

Through his panic he hears her voice, ringing clear as she recites the incantation. Then it is over. A flash of light precedes the sudden darkness that overcomes him.

* * *

Morgana revels at the sight of Merlin's reaction to her announcement. Finally, the loathsome servant who has consistently been a thorn in her side, will feel pain and helplessness as she has. Finally, she will have this seemingly unbreakable, deceptively strong man under her thumb. He will be her puppet. And she will enjoy every minute of it.

Reciting the spell, again just as she has practiced, causes a thrill to rush through her veins. Merlin's eyes roll back in his head and he falls slack against his restraints. This is her moment of triumph.

 _This is worth every sacrifice, every tear_ , she thinks.

Then there is a flash of light, and the world unexpectedly goes dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The world is spinning around him. Why won't the ground stop moving? Cracking his eyes open and trying to sit up, he is overcome by a wave of dizziness that nearly causes him to be sick. So he relents and simply settles for resting his weight on his hands.

What seems like hours pass before the earth settles, stops spinning and heaving. He can now slowly rise to his knees. He sits back on them, and tries to recall what happened. Last he remembers, Morgana had revealed her plan to wrest control of his mind in order to kill Arthur. Wait, no- there was that unnatural flash of light before he blacked out. In all his experience as a warlock, he has never seen an effect like that before. Sparks, yes, or a soft glow maybe, but nothing of that scale.

He sighs and runs his hands through his hair as he ponders the situation. Then freezes as two realizations hit him simultaneously- the sigh that escaped from his lips did not sound like his own, and he's never had hair this long before...

And when he went unconscious, he was definitely tied to the ceiling of the hovel. He thinks he was, anyway. The memories are so blurry. But he freezes when he glances around and sees _himself_ still hanging there.

 _Oh gods, no..._

Scrambling to his feet, he rushes over to _his_ body and prods it. A groan escapes from its lips and he reels away. Blinding panic begins to set in, as he runs his hands down his face, the sharp jaw line that doesn't belong to him, continues down over the chest that _definitely_ was not there before, over protruding ribs and a slender waist too small to be his own. Whirling around desperately, he sees what he needs to confirm this madness- a small handheld mirror, lying on a decrepit bedside table.

Without pausing, Merlin hastily grabs the mirror and holds it up to his face. Or should he say _her_ face. Because the reflection staring back at him is not his own, but that of Morgana Pendragon.

* * *

She is waking up. Groggily blinking her eyes, she looks around in a daze. Someone is leaning over her bedside stand, but everything is too foggy for her to realize the strangeness of it. She can't remember much, save for her euphoric giddiness as she overcame Merlin, but vaguely she _does_ recall being poked in the ribs.

She carefully goes to move, only to realize her wrists are bound above her head. Grumbling to herself at the nuisance, she utters a spell and snaps her constraints. Head still not fully cleared of the murk, but aware enough to feel extraordinarily achy.

Morgana stretches her arms out in front of her, trying to relieve cramped muscles, when she stops dead in her movement. Her senses snap back with a startling clarity as she sees the hands held out don't belong to her.

 _What in the name of- oh no._

She looks down at herself, hoping to see that what she thinks may be happening is really just a trick of the mind. Neckerchief, tattered old shirt and trousers, and a very _masculine_ looking body are what greet her gaze.

She claps her hands to her face in dismay, shaking her head and loudly uttering a curse. Catching the attention of the figure on the other side of the room, causing them to turn and look at her.

Morgana comes face to face with herself.

* * *

Some way, somehow, whatever in the hell Morgana has done, has caused them to switch bodies. His consciousness is now trapped in her physical form, as hers is in his. If the two of them hadn't been the unfortunate victims of this nightmare,they would have laughed at the looks on their faces.

But now, they just stand there in a shocked silence, facing each other in the wrong bodies. Neither willing to make a move, very well aware of their situation a few hours previous.

Merlin is the one to break the strained silence. "Morgana, _what the HELL have you DONE?_ " he roars, with her voice. She continues to stare at him, mouth slightly agape, and this irritates him. "You, who always have something to say regardless of whether the other wants to hear it or not, suddenly can't think of anything to explain _this_?" He gestures wildly at the two of them. "Really, _really_ bad timing to-"

"Shut UP, Merlin!" she snaps back at him. "If you would even give me a chance to _think_ , maybe I could come up with an explanation." She pauses to shoot him a dark glare, then remembers that she is in his body, and his face is probably pathetic at producing glares. Pity. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, because she is Morgana Pendragon and is _always_ in control, she begins to speak. "I'm really not sure _what_ happened." He opens his mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand to hush him. He complies, though is not happy about it. " I know that is not what you want to hear, but trust me, this isn't exactly a party for me, either. All I can assume is that something was pronounced wrong, and that it had these... unexpected side effects."

Merlin nods slowly. His eyes are downcast for a few moments, then suddenly flick up to meet hers. "Fine. What are we going to do about it?"

She paces slowly, fist against her mouth pretending to be thinking about how to answer his question. What she is about to try is a gamble. She really has no idea how this occurred, so she is unsure of the extent of her powers that she has retained. Snapping a rope is one thing, anything larger, though... Considering that it is her soul that holds her magic, and that her soul is currently residing in Merlin's body, it is likely that she will still be able to use it even if its host is as magical as a sack of potatoes. Worth a try, anyhow.

Turning slowly to face him, she moves her hand from her mouth and gestures towards him. "Well I don't know about you," she begins, then flashes him her best smirk, probably a complete mess on _his_ face. "But I for, one, am going to go assassinate a king."

Her eyes flash gold, and a sturdy frying pan flies from its position on the wall. Hitting him in the back of the head and knocking him unconscious.

Morgana laughs as she picks up her dagger, steps over her collapsed body, and saunters out the door.

* * *

 **Notes at the end of the chapter this time! I just couldn't resist having someone get whacked with a frying pan (since watching Disney's Tangled it has become my favourite weapon of choice). Poor Merlin, he's not having a great day so far. Let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Merlin's first thought when he awakes is that he needs to find Morgana _now_ and stop this insane plot in its tracks. The second is that he sure seems to be getting knocked out a lot recently. He chides himself for letting his guard down with her, he knows better. He sighs. All of this to protect Arthur. _The things I do for that clotpole..._

But that clotpole _is_ also his best friend. And as much as he grumbles to himself about his destiny being intertwined so closely with the King's, he truly cares for him. As long as he is breathing and capable, he will never let any harm befall him.

He gently touches the throbbing area on the back of his head. A nasty lump is already appearing, and he winces. The only consolation is that this is Morgana's body, and that once he is back in his own _she_ will be the one with the painful bump.

With a groan, he stands. Looking around for anything that might be useful to him as he tracks her. He grabs her long, black cloak and wraps it around his shoulders, pulls the hood up over his head. Morgana isn't on the best of terms with, well, pretty much everyone who may wander through this area, so it will be best for his face not to be seen.

He's relieved to see that she hasn't taken his pack with her. Hopefully it still contains his herbs and food rations... and it does. This will come in handy. Besides, he wouldn't leave it here for her to keep.

He moves around the small hovel, examining her possessions cautiously. Some of the magical items in her keep are familiar to him. Others... He shudders, not wanting to think about the possible uses for them. None of them can be good. He turns away from the shelves lined with magical objects, eying her sword propped up against the dank wall. He strides over, picks it up and examines it. He pauses a moment, debating about whether or not he should bring it with him. His sword skills don't match a knight's, but they have improved significantly over the years since he arrived in Camelot. But he's ridden out on missions with Arthur many a time, almost every time without a sword. And, he _does_ still have his magic- he confirms this with a quickly uttered spell and watches a tiny flame flicker to life over his palm. Much better to use that against his possessed body rather than the sharp steel of a sword, so he returns it to its original position.

He notes disappointedly that, after scouring the shack, he hasn't found one pair of trousers. _Honestly, you'd think that living in the middle of nowhere she wouldn't be such a stickler about wearing dresses all the time._ Oh well. He'll have to make do. And besides, the thought of having to change clothes while her makes him uncomfortable.

Merlin is about to start after her when he catches glimpse of a red square of cloth carelessly slung over the back of a chair. Recognizing it as his neckerchief, he stuffs it in his bag before he begins on his way.

* * *

She immediately tests her powers after she leaves, to see how well they work in this position. She has full use of them. _Excellent_.

But she should have known better than to take off into the woods so soon after kidnapping him. Damn him, being close enough to her brother to warrant this many knights scouring the woods for him. This will delay her somewhat, but no matter. Staying out of sight has become a familiar way of life to her. She will simply find somewhere to take shelter for the next little while until the swarm of red and gold pests leaves the forest. Her hovel really would be the most suitable place, but with that blasted Merlin currently lying unconscious on its floor, she can't very well return this soon.

 _Hmm..._ She looks up at the sturdy tree a few feet away from her. Looks back down at "her" arms, flexes the muscles. They seem strong. She used to love climbing trees as a child, and this will allow her to survey her enemies as they scurry around beneath her.

Morgana carefully climbs up the wide trunk, going high enough that she is hidden from the view of the knights, but not too high so as to obscure her own vision and hearing. It doesn't take long for her to overhear voices.

"I truly hope that, for Merlin's sake, that mad witch hasn't gotten ahold of him," says one of the men dressed in red. He has brown hair, longer hair than that of the man next to him, and has a brown beard to match. Even without seeing his face, Morgana recognizes his voice and scowls. That pompous man who thinks he is the gods' gift to the world, Gwaine. One of Arthur's lackeys who helped to thwart her first attempt at the crown. And she is _not_ mad. In fact, sometimes she thinks she is the only sane person in this cursed country. "There's no telling what she'd do to him..."

She smirks. He's got that right.

The second man, whom she identifies instantly as Sir Leon, replies, "Me too, Gwaine. And I can tell Arthur is worried about the same thing." At the mention of her half-brother, the smirk falls off her face, morphing into a scowl. Leon's face has a troubled, faraway look on it. "Who would have thought. The Lady Morgana, turning on her friends and family like that..."

 _Really? This is_ still _the talk of Camelot?_ It's been what, now, a year? No, less... Or maybe longer. She can't remember. It's not important, anyway. What is important is that she is finally fighting to free the magic users who have been wrongly oppressed for the past twenty four years. At least, that is what she tells herself.

Gwaine scoffs at this. "No sense of loyalty to anyone but herself."

She should drop a branch on him for that. How could he, one of Arthur's trained monkeys, possibly understand? He's got no idea what it is like to be persecuted for how you were born.

Eventually the two of them move off. The conversation that she eavesdropped upon replays in Morgana's mind, but after a while fades, and she takes up pondering her current situation. She was telling the truth when she said that she had no idea how _this_ had happened. Being stuck as Merlin is actually rather helpful for now, but after she assassinates Arthur she wants her own body back. At least she still has her magic... and at this thought, a new speculation pops into her mind, and it disturbs her greatly. What if the reason magic has come so easy for her in this body is because Merlin is not as ordinary as he seems? Could it be that the king's manservant, of all people, possesses magic?

She shakes the thought from her head, mentally scoffing at herself. _That's ridiculous_. They were, she hates to admit, _friends_ at one point. He would have told her.

A niggling sense of irritation that has been in her gut since overhearing the words that Gwaine spoke finally makes sense at the thought of the young servant. The knight's statement reminded her so much of the very thing Merlin had told her the day prior. _"You have no sense of duty, no sense of loyalty,"_ he had said. Untrue and unfair. And, she hates herself for this, his words wounded her even though she despises him so very much.

She waits in the tree for another hour, just to be on the safe side. Now it's time to continue on towards Camelot. Returning to the ground, Morgana feels like laughing as she imagines just how _easy_ it will be for her to sneak into the castle looking like this. She'll walk right past the guards and up to her arrogant brother. And then she will kill him. Twist the blade in his gut and enjoy his last moments of torment. And he will feel the betrayal she felt when one of her dearest friends tried to poison her two years ago.

* * *

 **Not really any side notes for this chapter, it's too late right now and my brain is desperately trying to make me sleep. But I wanted to say thanks for the positive feedback on the story! I'm really glad that you're liking it so far :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Just a short chapter this time, kind of quick I suppose but I didn't want to drag this part out too long (people wandering around in the woods can get old pretty quickly). Anyway, please let me know what you think so far!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Merlin is wary as he travels through the thickly wooded forest. Arthur always teases him for being jumpy (he, on the other hand, calls it having common sense and a wish to stay alive). Today, though, that prat would have every right to do so. Because he is so on edge, hearing the wind rustle through the leaves is enough to make him jump like a startled rabbit and whirl to face a nonexistent threat.

Probably because, if he is seen, he will be shot dead on sight. Or cut down. Whichever weapon is closest, neither one is a good option. And he knows that Arthur will have his men searching for him, because he's been missing for nearly two days now.

Could there _be_ a worse time to end up stuck in the body of your country's greatest enemy?

Right now, his only hope is to get himself and Morgana to Gaius. He's sure his mentor will be able to help him solve this problem. He just has to get into the castle, and then to the older man's apartment. Hopefully Morgana hasn't reached the city yet, otherwise his semi-formed plan will be made useless, and trying to reach Gaius will become immensely more difficult. And of course, there is the problem that by the time he finally manages to make it into the castle, Arthur will already be dead.

He sighs, and continues trekking along towards his home. He's tried tracking traces of her magic, but to no avail. The only area that he noticed anything was a few paces away from her hovel. It seems she has been careful, even though she doesn't know that he himself possesses magic and can easily track signs of her own. _Unless she suspects me..._

The thought isn't a happy one, but he supposes the truth has to come out eventually.

Luckily, Merlin hasn't come across any knights yet. He sees signs of their previous presence in the forest, clusters of footprints traveling in every which direction, eventually all returning to the same path towards Camelot. Another perk of traveling so much with the king is that he has become a skilled tracker, and he can tell that the footprints are several hours old. Which means that, theoretically, he should be safe until he reaches the city gates if he follows them.

He is correct in his guess, and he reaches the walls of Camelot with no trouble. It's nearly nightfall now, the sky is dark and the moon is shining. Now, all he has to do is find Morgana and prevent her from gaining entry to the city. Right, _all_ he has to do. The large city has an even larger wall surrounding it, and she could be anywhere. She might not even be here yet. But that is unlikely, as she's never been one to take her time when she puts her mind to something.

Merlin knows the castle just as well as Morgana, and he expects her to sneak in using one of the abandoned side entrances. Even though she's in his body and could blatantly stroll through the main gates without being suspicious, he has been missing for long enough that there would certainly be an uproar if he simply waltzed back into Camelot, well and unharmed, in the middle of the night. He begins cautiously to scout the edge of the city, taking great care to stay within the protection of the thick trees that border it.

* * *

He starts to worry when a half an hour has passed and there has been no sign of her. _Maybe she tricked me. Maybe she's not even here..._ But of course, it _is_ Morgana and she can make herself more or less invisible when she wants to.

Deciding to reach out with his magic one more time to see if he can feel a trace of hers, he clears his mind and quietly utters a spell. Expecting the same negative results as when he tried before, he is surprised when he does, in fact, sense a hint of her magic. Focusing on the magical aura, he follows it with his mind. Not far now.

Within minutes, he sees a shadow like figure hunched close to the wall. As he guessed, next to one of the old servants' entrances. He sneaks closer; as it comes into definition, he recognizes himself.

He needs to act now. No more hiding his powers, this madness has to stop. Arthur's life and the fate of Albion depends on it.

Stepping out of the darkness, he says in a commanding tone, "Morgana."

* * *

She has made it to the entrance she's been seeking, finally. True, the difficult part of her mission is about to begin, difficult only in the sense that she will have to be patient and restrain herself from killing Arthur immediately. She will have to wait for just the right moment. Even so, it won't be long now before she will be able to claim her rightful throne.

She hasn't had any need to use her magic up until just a few minutes earlier. She had decided to use a quick spell and erase her footprints. Wouldn't want arouse suspicion should her plans, in any way, be delayed.

She bends over slightly to focus on the door. " _Tospringe,_ " she whispers, and the lock clicks open. She raises her hand and pushes the door open.

"Morgana."

She whirls around at the sound of her name, hears someone cry out " _Ic þé wiþdrífe!_ " The spell hits her with a force that sends her flying backwards into the solid stone behind her, and her vision goes black.


	6. Chapter 6

**So this chapter is quite a bit longer than the last. But it has a pretty significant revelation in it that I'm sure you've been waiting for (wink, nudge, hint hint). It also pokes fun at the uselessness of the Camelot guards, that was one thing on the show that always made me chuckle. I mean, someone walking past them in the middle of the night in a big billowy cloak that doesn't even hide their face and they don't notice (it's a good thing Merlin was around to protect Arthur, geez)! Anyway, I'll stop blabbering and let you read it for yourself!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Merlin strides up to the unconscious figure crumpled on the ground. He has to get her out of here before he can fix this. Pulling a coil of rope out of his bag, he ties up her hands and feet, then whispers a spell over the bindings that will prevent her from breaking them.

He is about to pick her up when he hears voices, freezes.

"Did you hear something?" The voice comes from above them. A guard.

"Aye." A second voice. "That didn't sound like idle chit-chat to me. That sounded like sorcerer's spell."

An affirmative grunt comes from the first guard. "I don't see anything, but we'll need to investigate. Decide then whether or not we should raise the alarm."

Merlin curses under his breath. _You have got to be kidding me_. The guards who, on a regular basis, let cloaked figures in and out of the city at night with no questions asked, overhear his spell and decide it is something worth investigating? Now, after years of being seemingly incompetent at their jobs?

He sighs. The men will be on top of them in a matter of minutes. He relocks the door she has just opened, then slides his hands under Morgana's arms and drags her away from their destination and into the woods. Thankfully, he has scouted out this forest often enough that he has the perfect hiding place in mind. An outcropping of rock on the side of the hill, almost forming a small cave. It shouldn't take long to get there, and in all likeliness, _hopefully,_ the guards will be unable to find them.

* * *

She is slowly waking up. Her head, back, all over hurts. And she has just had the strangest dream about Merlin, of him attacking _her_ with _magic_.

She shuffles around to find a more comfortable position, finds her hands and legs bound. Growling, she commands the ropes to break, to fall away. Nothing happens. She tries again, but the bindings hold fast. Now she is angry. Who would dare do this to her?

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to sleep all day."

She turns her head to see Merlin, sitting across from her on a rock. She thrashes against the ropes, trying to break through them, can feel them burning her wrists and ankles.

"Don't bother- they've been enchanted so that you cannot get out of them."

His comment only makes her fight harder. Fury builds immediately in her, at the revelation of his magic and at how he has her bound like a common criminal. _"How dare you,"_ she hisses. " _How DARE you_! ALL this _TIME_? You had magic _all this time_ and you never _ONCE_ told me about it?"

Merlin has a sheepish expression on his face. "Morgana..." he begins quietly.

She sees red, and interrupts him so that she can continue screeching at him. "I TRUSTED YOU! I TRUSTED _YOU_ , when I was alone and terrified that Uther would have my head if he found out! You KNEW the entire time!" Her breathing is ragged, she has never been more outraged in her life. the betrayal she feels right now rivals that of what she felt after the poisoning. "You helped me find the druids, I was _happy_ there, I belonged and I wasn't an outcast anymore! But you had the audacity to bring me back here, to live my life in fear and hiding, and didn't even have the DECENCY to tell me about your magic!"

Merlin is at a loss for words, because everything that she is saying is true. "Morgana, I-" he tries again.

"I don't want to hear it," she cuts him off. "I was obviously a naive young woman, thinking I could trust you, thinking you were my _friend._ Do you know what it's like to be poisoned by your _friend,_ Merlin?" To her disgust, a tear slips from her eye, rolls down her cheek.

"I didn't want to! I didn't have a choice," he retorts.

"NEITHER DID I!" she screams, and he winces when he thinks about her being used as the vessel by Morgause. "How could I when all I had been shown was that the world was a dark place, that people you care about and who say they care about you turn on you as easily as if you were nothing. And I knew you wouldn't be the only one, that everyone else would feel the same way because of my magic. But now I know it wasn't because of my magic. You have it too." Tears are freely running down her face now. "I wasn't alone, and you were too much of a _coward_ to tell me."

In all the scenarios that have played out in his head, he didn't expect this. Yes, he expected a violent backlash, literally as well as figuratively. But he hadn't expected to hear the pain, so raw in her voice, even this long after she had hardened her heart against him, her home, her friends.

She is calmer now, but the anger is still rolling off of her in waves, and she continues to speak harshly. "You told me that I have no sense of loyalty or duty. _You_ are the one who helped me to realize that I couldn't trust anyone here, that they would only betray me, and so, were not worth pledging loyalty to." She takes a deep breath, readying herself to scream the next words at him, but rather they come out as a rough whisper. "I _HATE_ you."

Morgana doesn't even bother to fight the restraints now. She has no intentions, however, of letting him off the hook easily, of remaining this docile, but she will bide her time until the moment is right to strike. She can't deal with this news right now, and she sees him lean closer out of the corner of her eye, mouth opening as if to continue speaking.

"Don't. Touch. Me. Get out of my sight and just leave me alone!" she spits out.

All Merlin can do is shake his head sadly, and walk away.

* * *

When he returns, he is surprised to see her still waiting there. She can see it on his face.

Rolling her eyes, she scoffs, "Really, Merlin. You must be dense if you think that I would waste all of my energy trying to escape from your charming little restraints. I have better things to do with my time. Besides, you told me yourself I would be unable to break them, remember?" It's a lie, because while he was gone she tried everything she knew to get those damned ropes to break. Nothing worked. Her wrists, crusted over with dried blood, are proof of that.

He simply raises an eyebrow at her, as if he can see right through her statement, and resumes his place on the rock across from her. They sit in silence for a few moments before he leans forward, upturned palm held open in front of him. _"Forbearnan,"_ he whispers, and a tiny flame springs to life, dancing across his hand. He watches the flame as in a trance for a few moments, then allows it to extinguish.

His eyes shift from his hand to Morgana's eyes. She shoots him her dirtiest glare, because his little secret is making her feel things that she learned to shut out a long time ago: pain, sadness, love. She's not sure why love is present in her emotions right now. Maybe because there is a tiny flicker of hope, of joy, that she is not alone. That she finally understands the inexplicable connection she has always felt to him, and she knows he has felt in return. Useless feelings. She chooses to dwell on her anger. It has always given her strength as she conquered those who defied her, will continue to do so.

"Look, Morgana," Merlin begins, "I know what I did was wrong. I made the wrong choices, let myself be swayed from what I felt to be right. And I should have told you about my magic, because then we probably wouldn't be in this situation now." He pauses as if he expects her to fling a fireball at him. She continues to glare.

Sighing, Merlin resumes speaking, "I was surveying the city borders. They've noticed where you tried to enter last night, so the area is guarded by a few more soldiers this morning. But, there is another entrance on the other side of the main gates, which I'm sure you know about. My guess is that with the extra guards on the west side of the wall, this other entrance will be more or less unattended.

"I won't ask you to trust me, because I know you won't. But, just _believe_ me when I say that we need to reach Gaius. He'll be able to help us, know what to do to return us to normal. We just have to work together temporarily to make this work." He looks at her expectantly.

As much as she wants to dig her heels in at any suggestion he makes, he does have a point. As convenient as it is for her current purposes, she does not want to be cursed to live as _Merlin_ for the rest of her life.

Relenting, she sighs and nods. Relief is evident on Merlin's face, and he explains his plan **.**

* * *

 **Yay for magic reveal! Not yay for the fact that they waited so long in the series for everyone to find out *grumbles*. I tried to keep this realistic, it turned out less violent than I had expected but there were so many emotions involved for both of them that it was more important for their pain to be portrayed (I guess I should say Morgana's pain, considering the reveal was done mostly in her POV). Worry not, though, there is plenty more time for fireball fights later on, meheheh...  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Another short little chapter to keep the story flowing along. Also, I know Merlin and Morgana don't know of a way to restrain/take away someone's magic until season 5, but for the purpose of this story, they will.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

This is the fifth time she has said those words since he told her of his ploy to sneak back into the castle.

 _"Come on, Morgana. It won't be_ that _bad. Besides, you would be doing this anyway in order to reach Arthur."_

 _True. But the end goal of her pretending to be Merlin would be Arthur lying dead on the cold stone floor of his castle. Not a temporary truce, which will ultimately delay her ambitions._

 _She snorts. "So I suppose I'll just act like a complete idiot. Then no one will be any the wiser," she mocks him._

 _A wry smile plays across his lips. "Arthur would agree with you on that, you know."_

 _At the mention of her half brother's name, she feels cold hate flare in her gut. "I really don't care what Arthur would think," she spits out. "I just want to get out of this damn mess and be able to resume my life."_

 _Merlin stands, ordering the ropes to fall from her wrists and ankles. "Let's get on with this then, shall we?" He turns away and rummages through his bag. She promptly uses her powers to whack him in the back of the head with a fallen branch. Not hard enough to knock him out, but enough to leave him with a headache._

 _He spins around and glares at her. "What in the bloody hell was that for?"_

 _Smirking, she replies, "Well I can't very well kill you, can I? That would be counterproductive, because then I would be dead as well."_

 _"Don't push it, Morgana. I won't hesitate to take away your magic if you present a harm to me or anyone else in Camelot."_

 _She is about to retort that he can't do that, isn't strong enough, but the cold seriousness in his eyes stops her. He holds out a familiar red square of cloth to her. "Wear this," he says. "It would be unusual for me to be without it." She scowls at the neckerchief in his hand, then takes it and ties it loosely around her neck. He watches in silence. Then, "Why did you take it off, anyhow?"_

 _She slowly lifts her eyes up to meet his own. "Oh, Merlin," she says in a belittling tone. "I forgot to tell you. After you poisoned me, I can't stand to have anything around my neck. It makes me feel strangled. But you wouldn't know that, would you."_

 _She strides past him, ignoring the hurt look on his face. "Let's get this over with."_

Now they are in the servants' corridors. Dawn was only just breaking by the time they reached the northeast entrance. Thankfully, most of the castle's inhabitants will still be asleep. They won't stay that way for long, though.

"Be quiet," he hisses. "Someone might hear you, become suspicious."

She rolls her eyes. Because there is absolutely nothing suspicious about the king's missing manservant strolling through the castle, a hunched and cloaked woman at his side. "Well, if you would shuffle along faster, we might have a chance of making it to Gaius before anyone sees us!"

"Ever so impatient, aren't we?"

She only scoffs in response.

* * *

She's right. They are not fast enough to make it to the physician's chambers without running into a guard. Who immediately recognizes Merlin, hails him, and trots over.

"Merlin! Where in the world have you been? " the young man greets them. "Arthur has sent out search party after search party to find you! Speaking of whom, he will be relieved to hear you are back. I must tell him at once-"

"No!" she blurts out instinctively. The guard shoots her a puzzled glance and Merlin nudges her in the back. Remembering who she is supposed to be, she gives her best impression of what the manservant would likely say. The lines she practiced hastily on the walk here. "Um, I mean, we wouldn't want to disturb his sleep now, would we? You know how he gets when he's woken up too early. Without his breakfast and with the worry of the past few days, this might be a bit of a shock for him. I'll make my way to his chambers in a little while to report to him the events of the past few days." She pauses, then remembers the figure behind her. "And I need to help this poor woman to Gaius'. She's injured, needs medical attention."

The guard seems to buy the explanation, and wishing them good luck goes on his way. Once out of earshot, Merlin whispers from beneath the old cloak which hides his face. "Without his _breakfast_? Was that necessary?"

"Well, you know how he loves his food," she replies, a hint of dry humour in her voice. She remembers the first time Merlin had hinted at Arthur being overweight three years ago. Arthur, being the vain fool he was, ranted about it for _days_. Of course, she had to jump on the bandwagon and continue to torment him with further teasing. It had been great fun.

He sighs, but she notices out of the corner of her eye that he has picked up the pace. _Good._ The sooner they reach their destination, the sooner they will be back to normal. Or, at least as normal as her mess of a life can be called.

They reach Gaius' apartment without any further delays. She goes to knock, but he hastily grabs her wrist. "Make sure you tell him what we agreed upon, so as not to give him a heart attack. And remember what I said earlier, if you threaten him in any way-"

"I'm not _stupid_ , Merlin," she interrupts. Without hesitation, she raises her fist and boldly knocks on the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**All right! So they've made it to Camelot in one piece (for now). We'll see how long that lasts when they are stuck in Gaius' apartment together, heheh. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The old physician raises his head from the book he is reading at the knock on his door, eyebrow quirking up in response.

 _"Who could that be?"_ he wonders. It is not uncommon for him to be up well before daybreak, studying his craft. But he very seldom receives patients at this time.

Gaius sets aside his book and walks across the room to answer the door. Upon opening it, a huge smile breaks out upon his face when he sees who it is. "Merlin, my boy!" he cries joyfully, without openly acknowledging the cloaked figure behind him, but ushering both of them in regardless. He wraps his arms around Morgana, with surprisingly strong grip for a man his age.

She mentally recoils at the physical contact. She has not been on the receiving end of a hug for some time now, and the sensation of being held by someone is foreign and discomforting. She is thankful when he releases her and steps back, eying them up. "To be completely honest, you look a lot better than I expected, Merlin. Arthur mentioned about the rock slide that caused the two of you to be separated." And finally noticing the person standing behind her, he continues, "And who might this be?"

"That's the thing, Gaius," Morgana begins cautiously. "We have a bit of a problem."

* * *

Gaius' eyebrow once again climbs up his forehead, as if it has a mind of its own. "Oh, really," he says. "What kind of trouble have you managed to get yourself into this time, Merlin?"

Merlin, still concealed beneath the cloak, thinks indignantly, " _Why does he always assume that?_ "

Morgana, to his surprise, handles it well. "You see Gaius, after I was separated from Arthur, I was found by someone and they took me away. Actually, it was Morgana-" At the startled and upset expression that erupts on the old man's face when he hears her words, she quickly says, "It's all right, she didn't hurt me. Well, not exactly... but I'll explain that after. She made an attempt at a spell, and something went horribly wrong, and, well, you see, I'm not Merlin."

Gaius' face shows disbelief at her words, and he slowly shifts his gaze to the other person sharing the room with them.

Merlin says, in Morgana's voice, "She's right. But I am." He pulls back the hood of his cloak, revealing the face of Camelot's former lady. Doing a rather excellent impression of a goldfish, Gaius gapes as he looks back and forth between the two of them. Gazes back at Morgana, trapped in Merlin's body. "Then you are..." He can't even finish the sentence,

Morgana smirks. "That's right, Gaius. I'm your _favourite_ patient," she says bluntly. She hadn't meant to be quite so sharp with her tone. But elderly or not, the physician lied to her as well, concocting potions to and keep her in the dark about her powers rather than help her understand them. Knowing that the grandfatherly figure she had trusted her entire life deceived her in such a way still leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

The old man's face has gone expressionless at the presence of Camelot's greatest enemy in his room, and for a moment both of them fear he might collapse. But he remains calm and collected, taking a minute to recompose himself.

"Well," he begins slowly, "this is a problem. I'm assuming this is what you meant when you mentioned the attempted spell going wrong?"

Merlin nods. "Yes. Somehow it managed to switch our consciousnesses with our bodies. I am trapped in Morgana's body as she is trapped in mine. Gaius, I knew we had to get to you as soon as we could. You _can_ help us reverse this, right?"

The court physician is quiet, then replies somberly, "I've never seen anything like this before, Merlin. It requires an act of very powerful magic to be able to cause such a change." He pauses. "I expect it will take an act of equally powerful magic to reverse it. I will do my best to find an answer for you, but it will take time."

The two mages look at each other in disdain. Gaius senses the tension building up between the two of them and intervenes. "I do hope that you have a good plan worked out, boy," he says sternly, "because _this_ ," he gestures at Morgana's body, "will be rather hard to explain should anyone see you."

* * *

Morgana has gone to announce her return to Arthur, or rather, _Merlin's_ return. She was only allowed to leave after a copious amount of threatening from Merlin. He swore, if she does anything to hurt so much as a hair on the King's head, he will strip her of her magic and kill her without a second thought, regardless of whether or not she is in his own body.

"I already told you, Merlin, I'm not stupid. I want this to be over as much as you do. If not more, _believe me_." She sneered in disgust. "It's obvious that my plan to assassinate Arthur isn't going to work right now, so the sooner this is finished, the better." As she strode out the door, she had to have the last word, as always. "I'll just have to wait for a _different_ opportunity." And the door closed behind her, leaving Merlin sputtering in her wake.

Now that he seems to have calmed somewhat, Gaius quietly asks, "Do you trust her?"

Merlin replies without hesitating, "Absolutely not." Then sighs, knowing there is nothing he can do about it now. But he saw the look in her eyes when he threatened her life, and he knows she took him seriously. If there is anything Morgana is good at, besides creating chaos, it is self preservation.

He collapses in a chair and rests his head in his hands. "I don't know how things like this always seem to happen to me," he moans.

Gaius places a comforting hand on his young ward's shoulder. "Well, Merlin," he says, "you will have some very interesting stories to tell your grandchildren one day when magic has been legalized and your brave deeds are known."

The young warlock smiles up at the man who has become like a father to him, appreciating his efforts to lift his spirits. "Right," he says, "I suppose I best start by relaying the entire tale to you, then."

And so he begins, all the while praying that his threats would hold their power over her, and that he hasn't just condemned his best friend to death.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

A knock sounds on the door of the council chambers, where Arthur is sitting at the table reading through a monstrous pile of documents.

"Enter," he calls, without looking up. The large door creaks open and he hears footsteps approach him. He finishes up with the paper in his hand, sets it down. "What can I do for you-" A boyish grin appears on his face when he sees who it is standing in front of him. " _Merlin?!"_

The king rises to greet his friend. "When- How- _Where_ were you? What happened? Are you alright?" All of his questions come flooding out at once in his relief at having Merlin back in Camelot, alive and well.

His friend chuckles good naturedly, replying, "Easy, Arthur. Yes, I'm alright. Where and what are a long story, but I arrived this morning. As for how, though, I walked. I thought you could have figured _that_ part out on your own, at least."

Arthur barks out a laugh at his answer, a statement of the obvious. Typical Merlin."I am glad to see you still have your sense of humour after being lost for three days." But he sobers up quickly, concern clouding over his face as he asks, "But truly, what happened to you during that time? The knights were scouring the woods for you and could find no trace of you."

And so the tale is relayed to him, albeit with certain parts modified or left out. By the end of it, Arthur has a grave expression on his face. He shakes his head. "Merlin, I- I am so sorry I had to leave you. I wish this never happened to you. But... you say she healed you?"

Morgana is beginning to tire of this performance. Though she is an excellent actress, there is a limit to her patience. Especially when her obnoxious brother is _right in front_ of her, oblivious and trusting. The thought of how close, yet so far out of reach, her goal is irritates her. So she snaps, "Maybe she was worried that you wouldn't be able to get by without your servant to dress you every day."

Arthur looks taken aback by his friend's tone. "Merlin, are you sure she didn't do anything else to you? You seem to be on edge right now... Is there something that you're not telling me?"

What a loaded question _tha_ t is. "Of course not! I just know how dependant you are on your staff is all. As I'm sure she does, too, from living in the same castle as you for so long."

The king's eyes narrow slightly. "Merlin, you are by far the most useless manservant I have ever had. It may surprise you, but I ca _n_ and _do_ dress myself."

"Of course, Sire, if that thought is what makes you happy."

"Shut up, Merlin." His brow furrows in consternation. "But still, that is rather... out of character for her. Hmmm." He is quiet for a few moments, thinking about what the implications of this scenario could be. "Make sure to have Gaius keep an eye on you. She may have put a spell on you or something that will cause you harm in the days to come," he continues. "In the meantime, you will have the rest of today and the next off to recover from your ordeal." He claps his friend on the shoulder. "It's good to have you back."

Morgana fakes a smile and nods. "It's good to be back, Arthur."

* * *

After the heavy door bangs shut behind her, she leans against it and lets out a breath, allows the smile to fall off of her face. That was getting painful, having to play the role of bloody Merlin, having to pretend to be so overjoyed to see Arthur when really, all she felt was disgust and dismay that she was unable to take the crown right then and there. It was like a flashback to those horrid days when she had to pretend that she was Uther's loving ward.

She walks back to the physician's quarters. Merlin will be pleased that she has left the king alive. _For now._ But she saw the threat in his eyes. No, it wasn't just a threat. He was telling the truth when he said he would kill her without pause. Not shocking, considering he's done so before.

Anger is welling up inside her again. She hates this place, hates everyone in it. No one understands. The only person that could have, had he been honest with her, is her brother's loyal lapdog. Now that she knows of his magic, she wonders how she had never sensed it before. There is something about him, something that exudes power. And it makes her furious.

Morgause never lied to her, never hid anything from her. Morgana misses her sister with such a sudden pang that it hurts. Of course Merlin would take her sister away from her, too. Anything that would make her happy, it seems.

She dwells on this all the way back to Gaius', becoming more furious by the minute.

* * *

"It's been too long, hasn't it? She's done something to him." Merlin is pacing back and forth, furiously biting his nails.

" _Merlin_ ," Gaius says. "Do you honestly think that Arthur would let you leave so soon after your return? He's been worried sick about you. She's barely been gone for an hour. Relax, _please_ , before you dig a trench in my floor."

He opens his mouth to respond right as the door swings open and bangs against the wall. Morgana barges in without knocking and marches straight into Merlin's chambers, swiftly shutting the door and locking it behind her. Gaius sends Merlin a sideways glance. "Well, it seems she has gotten that part of your character down pat." Merlin stares at him, confused. "The walking in without knocking," he clarifies.

Merlin can't help but chuckle at his comment. He can't even remember how many times Arthur, Gaius, Gwen, and even _Morgana_ have gotten after him about knocking. "Admit it, Gaius, it's part of my charm."

The two of them share a laugh which ends abruptly when they hear a thud from Merlin's room. Another follows, and then another.

In an instant, Merlin is at his door whispering, " _Tospringe."_ He shoves it open, ducking with a yelp as a heavy book flies past his head and slams into the wall behind him. Standing in the middle of the room is Morgana, looking positively irate.

Merlin snaps his fingers, causing the next book that is on its trajectory towards the wall to pause and hang in midair. "What the hell are you doing?" he yells.

Snarling, she stretches out her hand and magically yanks the book back towards her. "I cannot deal with. This. Place," she grinds out. "I cannot deal with having to be you _,_ having to dote on Arthur, be his caring _friend_ and loyal _servant_. I can't believe I was stupid enough to get myself trapped in this body!" she screeches. " _LOOK at me!_ And now I'm stuck here, in this castle, until we can find out how to reverse this damn spell. Worst of all, I'm stuck here with _you_."

"You think it's bad being stuck here with _me?_ " he yells right back at her. "I'm stuck here with a psychopath who I have to prevent from killing my friend and taking over the kingdom! I can't leave this room, because if I do, I will be killed on sight!"

"Oh, I'm a psychopath now, am I? At least I have the backbone to stand up for what is _right_ , to protect people like us! You are nothing more than a coward and a liar!"

"Slaughtering innocents to force yourself upon the throne is not standing up for what's right! It's tyranny! You think you're so high and mighty, Morgana, but you're no better than Uther was!"

At these words she is so filled with rage that she hurls a fireball at him. He raises his hand and cries, " _Scildan!_ " A spherical barrier appears in front of him, causing the fireball to dissipate as it comes into contact with it.

An outraged screech escapes from her lips, and she sends another ball of fire hurtling towards him. This time, he sends a bolt of energy towards her to deflect her next attack. The two collide, causing an explosion in the middle of the room that causes both Merlin and Morgana to stumble backwards.

The two powerful sorcerers stare each other down, each waiting for the other to make a move. The room is eerily quiet until Merlin breaks the silence.

"Mark my words, Morgana, this is your last chance. I won't hesitate to-"

She interrupts him. "Get on with it already, then! Take my powers away, _kill me_! I already know you have no problem hurting your friends, so this time, as your enemy, it will be even easier, won't it?" She sneers at him. "I _hate_ you."

He takes a step closer to her. "The woman I knew and cared for is dead, and as much as you like to think it was, poisoning you was _not_ an easy choice for me to make. You have every right to be angry with me, but Arthur, Gwen, and the rest of the kingdom have done nothing to deserve the fury you've unleashed on them. "

He turns on his heel and strides out of the room, hearing one last book slam futilely against the wall in response.

* * *

 **So this one took a little longer to get posted (sorry about that), I had some last minute changes I decided to make to it. But we got to the fireball fight scene that I promised earlier! And if any of you have a moment and would like to let me know what you think of the chapter, that would be great! In the meantime, I will keep typing away at the upcoming chapters ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow, lots of reviews for the last chapter! Thanks! I hope you enjoy this one as well :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Gaius' eyes are wide when Merlin exits his bedroom. "Well, that sounded like an interesting conversation," he says. Merlin just groans and shakes his head.

"Gaius, we- I can't do this. It's been _three days_ , only three days, and we are ready to kill each other. I don't trust her. She says she's waiting for a new opportunity to arise to assassinate Arthur, that she won't while she's like this... I don't believe her. I can't. Not after that." He pauses to take a shaky breath. "How soon do you think you'll be able to find a counter spell?"

His mentor sighs at his ward's impatience. "Merlin... Like I said, I don't have experience with this kind of problem. I'll do my best to find a way to remedy this, but it may take some time. A few days to a week at the very least."

Merlin feels broken inside at the thought of how long this might take. He would be able to deal with this better, he thinks, if she wouldn't keep bringing up the poisoning every chance that she can. He means what he said, she does have a right to be angry with him. But he wishes that he could talk to her about it without it erupting into a fight where she tries to blow his head off. Because, he knows she doesn't believe him, he really _doesn't_ want to kill her. He's been trying to convince himself otherwise, but the truth is he still has a shred of hope left that the woman he used to be friends with, used to care for as more than a friend, is still in there.

He nods, slowly, in understanding. He needs some time alone, but he is so very trapped in his situation right now. He can't even find isolation in his own chambers, because _she_ is currently occupying them. They stand in silence for a little while before he finally speaks again. "Would you mind bringing some food back from the kitchens?" he asks quietly. "I haven't eaten a real meal in a while, and I just realized how hungry I am. I would go get it myself, but, well, you know..." He trails off and glances down at the body that doesn't belong to him.

Gaius nods, a small smile on his face. "Of course." Then he is gone, leaving Merlin alone with his burdensome thoughts.

* * *

The day is done by the time a gentle knock comes on her door. Hoping her silence will deter an unwanted visitor, she refuses to acknowledge them. It doesn't work, and Merlin pokes his head in the door.

Gaius seemed to sense that he needed time to himself earlier this afternoon, and so took his time in bringing the food back for him. Merlin was grateful, but in reality wasn't all that hungry. So he left some bread, cheese, and an apple on his plate, planning on offering it to her later.

He carries it in with him, setting it down on the bedside table. Without waiting for an invitation, he sits next to her on the bed.

She is so tired, so drained from the fight earlier, she doesn't even have the energy to come up with a sarcastic comment to throw at him. She merely asks, "What do you want?" Concise and to the point. Her voice sounds pitiful even to her own ears.

He drags in a deep breath before he speaks. "Look... We really need to talk about this. About us."

His words, for some unknown reason, send a jolt of unease through her gut. Her eyes flare with anger as she retorts, "There is nothing to discuss. I don't want to talk to you, in fact, I don't want anything to do with you."

"Just... Listen. For a few minutes. That's all I ask." His voice is haggard, and she spares him a fast glance, sees the desperation on his face. She answers with a stony silence, but doesn't tell him to go to hell, so he takes that as a good sign and begins.

"Morgana, I let you down." She glares at him with contempt upon hearing those words. _Obviously._ He stares at the floor. "I was told, multiple times by influential... people, I suppose I could say, that you should not know the truth about your powers, nor my own. For one thing, to keep both of us safe. And for another, because of our destinies."

And so he begins the tale of how they truly came to be in this situation. About how he was told her destiny is to bring about the downfall of Camelot, how he was inexperienced and afraid, and made all the wrong choices. About the sleeping curse that was placed on the kingdom, how Morgause had used her as the vessel with which to maintain it, this is why she remained the only one unaffected, and that the only way to break the spell was to destroy the vessel. How he thought that she had agreed willingly, but came to realize too late that she had no idea, was just as much a victim as everyone else. She was betrayed by her sister. He didn't know what else to do, so he killed her, bargained her life for that of his prince and the kingdom. Spent the next year awash in guilt over his actions, not that it's an excuse, but was elated when they found her roaming in the forest, only to realize it was too good to be true soon after she was back home. How this had shattered him, and the only way to protect himself was to turn away from her completely and devote the rest of his life to those who still remained, to keep them safe, because he had failed so miserably the first time.

She takes it all in silence, a familiar blank expression on her face that he has seen her put on time and again in a past life, when she was a noble in the court and had to hide her true thoughts for her own safety. He is crying softly as he relays the information to her, she feels numb. How could Morgause have betrayed her so? Merlin could be lying, but... No, as good as he is at lying, the sadness that is etched on his face and is evident in his voice is too genuine to be an act. Her life has been turned upside down on her. Again. She really should just get used to it.

Reaching the end of the story, he pleads, "I wish an apology could make this right, could bring things back to what they used to be. But it can't. Regardless, I am truly sorry, and I hope you will one day believe that I honestly didn't want to hurt you... And that maybe one day you will be able to forgive me, or, at the very least, leave Camelot out of this and to take your anger out on me alone." Finally he stops, searching her face for any hint of an answer.

She can feel her eyes are wet, knows there is a sheen of tears waiting to be unleashed. They will not fall while he is here, though. She will not cry in front of him again.

In a quiet, strained voice, she tells him, "I do not forgive you." His face falls at this, but she continues. "Merlin, this- there is so much to take in right now. I can't give you my word on anything. The best I can do," she takes a deep breath, mentally kicking herself for what she is about to say, "is think about it."

Merlin nods solemnly. Not ideal, but she hasn't tried to kill him yet, so it's progress. He stands to leave, exiting with a muttered, "I thought you might be hungry," and a weak gesture towards the plate next to her bed. Before she knows it, she is alone once more.

The revelations he has made to her are so overwhelming, she begins shaking uncontrollably when she tries to move. Now it is safe to feel her emotions, now that she is alone. She chokes on a sob, biting her hand hard to muffle the sound. She knows both the young warlock and his mentor well enough to be sure that they will be listening carefully for her tonight.

It takes a long time to calm down, and when she does she is famished. The plate Merlin left behind for her is empty within minutes, though she is still hungry. She debates about trying to sneak down to the kitchens herself, but then she'll have to face _him_ again. So instead, she extinguishes the small candle that lights the room, curls up on the bed, and drifts off to sleep. And for some reason, as all the emotions of the day fade away, she feels a serene sense of calm wash over her that she has not felt for a very long time.

* * *

 **So here we have the aftermath of their fight, no more fireball throwing for now, but I wanted them to have this discussion at some point, because I honestly think that if Merlin had just told her the truth from the get go the series would have been so much better. The two of them would have made a really kickass team had they worked together. Plus Mergana could have happened and that would have made me super happy (in case you haven't noticed, I ship these two just a little bit, haha). Anyway... I will keep plugging away at the next chapters, there's going to be a lot of ups and downs for both of them, but I think that's going to make it all the more fun!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

He doesn't sleep. He tries, he really does, because the insanity of the past few days has really taken its toll on him, and the only way to get out of this is to keep a rational mind. He takes to reading through one of Gaius' books, hoping that this will be the one to have answers in it. It isn't, he discovers after an hour or so of flipping through its pages. He stares, deflated, out of the window, the inky blackness of the sky revealing nothing but the few stars that are out tonight.

The old man is snoring quietly in his bed that is just around the corner. It's comforting, hearing something so familiar in this alien situation. Merlin can't help but smile, remembering when he first arrived in Camelot, meeting Gaius, who is like a father to him. The poor man had never bargained for this when he had agreed to take Merlin in. But, really, who would have expected it all to unfold like this?

For the umpteenth time, he berates himself. He should have made different choices, stood up for what he knew was right, rather than be cowed by the thought of what 'might' be to come. Who knows, though? Maybe everything would have played out the same regardless. Fate has a cruel sense of humour.

Which is probably why him and Morgana are currently each trapped inside the others' body. The fact that this, of all things, has offered him the opportunity to reconcile with her is, in its own twisted way, funny. And completely awkward. An old daydream of his pops into his head. He used to imagine that he would tell her about his magic and follow up his announcement with a gentle kiss on her forehead in apology, to tell her that she wasn't alone anymore. Of course, that was before the poisoning and the betrayal, before everything became so complicated and the biggest obstacle to his feelings for her was their differing ranks. Now there are layers of hatred that both of them have to work around, the breached trust, various attempted murders. And besides, he can't kiss _himself,_ even though it's not him inside. That's just strange.

Merlin sits bolt upright. _Where did that come from?_ Now is definitely not the time for feelings from years ago to spring back to life. For crying out loud, a few days ago being so close to her as she cleaned his wounds was repulsive to him, and now this is on his mind?

He sighs, shakes his head to clear it, and picks up another book.

* * *

Morgana wakes up feeling well rested. Surprisingly, the conversation from the previous night didn't haunt her dreams like she had expected. She's still angry and hurt, but this knowledge at least helps clear things up somewhat, relieves some of the confusion. Not that she'll ever tell _him_ that.

She dresses hastily, noting with some amusement that the only clothing Merlin seems to own are red and blue versions of the same shirt and neckerchief. Plus that old jacket that he is always wearing.

He looks startled when she walks out of the small chambers and stares at her warily. "What?" she growls, feeling irritated by the unwanted attention.

He shakes his head and looks away. She can't help but notice how tired he looks, seeming as if he hasn't slept a wink since they arrived here.

"You look terrible," she points out to him.

"You realize you just insulted _yourself_ , right?" he retorts, but there is a glint of humour in his eyes. "My face can handle little sleep much better than yours can, evidently."

She has one hand on the door knob, ready to go out. "Actually, you just have a constant dopey expression on your face that hides when you really are tired. Mine is _much_ more refined." And she slips out the door before he can reply that, no, he does _not_ always have a dopey expression on his face. He snorts when he realizes that her comment is also something that Arthur would agree with, not that she would appreciate the comparison.

* * *

Gaius has awoken and left to do the rounds on his patients by the time that she returns. Carrying a relatively full plate of food, enough for two people, she sets it down on the table and begins to divide it up. Merlin continues flipping through his book until she sets a plate down in front of him.

He looks up. "Thank you." Gives a small smile.

She scoffs. "I'm not doing this for _you_. I haven't had a proper meal in months, and I'm starting to look half starved. So do me a favour, will you, and eat up."

He doesn't seem to take offense. Instead, as she is taking her food back to his chambers to eat alone, he asks, "Did you get this from the kitchens?"

"How observant you are, Merlin," she rolls her eyes at him. "Where else would I get it from?"

"No, it's just that Cook doesn't appreciate the servants taking food from her kitchens. She's chased me out brandishing a rolling pin enough times for me to know." He pulls a face at the memories of the formidable woman threatening him with various cooking utensils. "She doesn't usually mind when Gaius goes down there, but she can't stand me."

She chuckles darkly at his last words. "You know, Merlin, I really can't blame her." And with that she closes the door behind her.

* * *

She decides to take a nap after her meal. It has been so long since she's slept in a real bed that she has to take advantage of theses accommodations while she can, no matter how humble they are. There is no comparison between an actual home and her dank little hovel.

Soon after she drifts off, a vision comes to her. _She is standing in a forest. It's night, and the trees seem to be forming a cage around her, suffocating her, she's trapped. She feels so alone, but she isn't. There is someone there, someone who she can't make out. All she knows is that she is screaming at them, "You're Emrys? You're EMRYS?" and the panic is rising in her throat, her doom, her destiny and her doom is right in front of her and she can't even see who it is. She's trapped, she can't run, can only stand there in shock and terror, feeling her horror gripping her chest like a snake._

She awakes with a strangled cry, has broken out in a cold sweat. She storms out of the room, up to a concerned looking Merlin.

"Are you al-"

"My bracelet," she cuts him off. "I need my bracelet. Give it to me."

He glances at her mistrustfully, noting the wild look in her eyes. "Why?"

She growls, "Because I've just had a nightmare, you idiot, so _give_ it to me!" She stands there with her arms crossed as he sighs and slips the band off of his arm. But he hesitates before he hands it to her.

"Are you sure you need it? Because if you forget to take it off when you're working for Arthur he'll recognize it and we'll be exposed."

Morgana looks like she is about to blast him into the next kingdom, so he raises his hands in mock surrender. "It was only a thought. Just remember to take it off whenever you leave Gaius' apartment."

He passes it to her, and she places it around her wrist. Not that it is of any help to her now that she is awake, but it is a relief to have it back, to know that when she next goes to sleep she won't be tormented by her visions. Hopefully. It's powers have been wavering recently... either that, or the visions have been too powerful for it to block.

Merlin returns to leafing through his book. Morgana paces the room for a while, still unable to shake the feeling of dread that her dream has left her with. She can't make sense of it, it was all blurry and dark. She already _knows_ what Emrys looks like. The old man with the long white beard and startling blue eyes, he's appeared in her dreams before. But this time it was definitely _not_ the old man. Even though she couldn't see who it was, she could... sense it. The same, but different. Knowing that Emrys has more than one appearance means that she will need to be more cautious than ever.

"You're lucky Gaius isn't here to see you pacing like that," Merlin tells her eventually. "It makes him anxious. He hates it when I do it."

She levels a glare at him, but stops. It's making her anxious, too, rather than helping her calm down. So she walks over to a large pile of books, gestures to them and asks, "Which of these haven't you two gone through already?"

He glances up briefly. "All of them. The pile of the ones that we have gone through is over there." He nods at a hopelessly small stack of books on the edge of the table. She sighs and picks one up, settling herself in the chair across from Merlin as she begins to search the pages for anything that might help them get out of this mess. She is so consumed by the task that she doesn't notice the small smile he sends her way at her effort to help.

* * *

 **I've been doing my best to update frequently, but I'm afraid it'll be a while before I post the next chapter. The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty busy for me and then school starts. Plus, at this point in the story I would like to do some serious editing on the chapters that are coming up (I do have a large chunk of the story written, but I'm not 100% happy with it at this point and I want to make sure it's up to snuff before I post anything more). So I'll have someone to proofread these upcoming chapters from now on, so far I've been the only one checking over the chapters and editing them.**

 **I don't think it should take more than a few weeks for me to get this back on track. I hope you enjoyed this last update, and a big thank you to those of you who have read, reviewed, favourited, and followed! You guys are awesome, and I will be back to this story as soon as I can to continue it :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm back, albeit briefly! Technically I should be doing homework right now but I thought it would be much nicer to get the twelfth chapter up instead :) Hope you like it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

It is late afternoon by the time Gaius returns to find his apprentice and the former lady of Camelot quietly flipping through his old tomes. Seeing the pair of them working together ( _"It's about time,"_ he thinks) brings a wistful memory to his mind. A memory of a time when they were all just children. Well, young adults, not children. But to him they were. They were _his_ children. Merlin, the goofy young lad who was and still is like a son to him. Morgana and Gwen, two bright and lovely young women who were so very gentle and caring, but at other times could strike terror into the hearts of men, heaven help you if you were on the receiving end of _that_ one. And Arthur, courageous and headstrong, striving to find his own way while stuck in his father's shadow.

The four of them have had to grow up too quickly. True, much of that was due to their own choices, but... A friendship like the one they shared is one to be cherished. The passing of time has made him see that, now more than ever. How he wishes he could tell them not to be foolish, to hang on, to trust each other. But he can't, not under these circumstances, not after what they've been through.

Three of them have grown to be wonderful people, strong, merciful, and willing to do good in this world that seems to be so plagued with darkness. Reaching for the sun, striving to meet their full potential. But the fourth has grown angry and vengeful, like a rosebud that, instead of blossoming into something beautiful, has rather withered and decayed. It saddens him that not all of his children will achieve the happiness that they deserve, that he so wishes for them.

He feels a wave of melancholy at the thought. He can't help but feel that he played a role in how things turned out, knows he did, actually, but what else was there to do? He had tried to protect Morgana from herself while simultaneously keeping the king and the prince safe, had known the potions weren't working anymore but chose to keep giving them to her regardless. If he could have kept her believing that they were just nightmares and not magic... Slight guilt rises in his gut and he pushes it away. His first duty had been to Uther, to protect him. And he had done so until the old king passed on and his duty shifted to encompass protecting Arthur. What's done is done, whether he regrets it or not. The important thing is that the king lives and Camelot flourishes.

Gaius snaps out of his reverie, realizes that he has been staring at them this entire time. Thankfully they haven't seemed to notice his presence. So he walks over to them and asks them if they have made any progress.

Merlin only grunts in response, but Morgana actually looks up at him from her task to tell him of what they have found. So far, very little, a few references to exchanged souls here and there, not particularly useful but better than nothing.

As she speaks to him, he sees a small flicker of the person who he used to know for the first time in the past two years, the rosebud with all the potential. It astonishes him so much that he has to busy himself with one of his other books so that he doesn't break down in front of them.

* * *

The evening is going well until they receive an unexpected visitor. A tentative knock sounds on the door, interrupting the trio who are busy with their research. Merlin and Gaius share a look, and the younger man quickly rushes to his chambers, locking the door behind him. Gaius rises to answer the door, and Morgana is suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She's not sure how to act. Well, like Merlin would, obviously, but depending on who it is and his relationship with them, their cover could be blown if she isn't believable.

A soft voice comes from outside the room: "Hello, Gaius, is Merlin here?" A voice that she instantly recognizes, how could she not, the two of them were best friends for years, and it causes that nasty feeling of disgust and hate to rise in her stomach once more.

"Yes, he is. Come in, my dear," the old physician replies as he ushers Gwen into the room.

In a matter of seconds the young woman has closed the space between herself and Morgana, has thrown her arms around her neck, and is crushing her in a surprisingly strong hug. Again, Morgana has to force herself to return the embrace when all she wants to do is balk away from it.

"Oh my goodness, Merlin, how are you? Are you alright? Why didn't you tell me you were back earlier? Arthur didn't bother to tell me until just now, he didn't want to 'overwhelm' you, apparently, so I came as quickly as I could," Gwen gushes. She releases her embrace and takes a step back. "Oh, I was so worried. I'm glad you've returned to us."

Morgana plasters a smile on her face, when in fact all she can see is the woman in front of her wearing the queen's crown, _her_ crown. She wants to rip it off, and take her head along with it. Then she realizes she still hasn't replied to Gwen, and that her long ago friend is starting to look confused and a little hurt. She clears her throat, pretending to have been caught up in the moment, taking a moment to compose herself. "Yes Gwen, I'm fine. Much better, now that I'm back home in Camelot. I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was back myself, you know how it is. I was just... exhausted and a bit flustered after the events of the past few days." What an understatement _that_ is. "I'm sorry if I hurt you by not going to you myself, but honestly everything is fine now."

Gwen's eyes soften at her words. "Oh, Merlin. Don't be sorry. If I had to go through what you just went through, I... I honestly don't know what I'd do. I'm just glad that you're safe." Typical Gwen, always putting others before herself. A disgusting habit. Then her eyes darken just a bit, her voice lowers, as she asks, "She didn't harm you... did she?"

Morgana shakes her head, no. Relief tinged with sadness washes over the other woman's face, and she replies, "Good. Look, I know it must have been hard for you to see her, after all she's done." Oh, if Gwen only knew _half_ of what he has done to _her_. "How are you feeling about all that? I know you had feelings for her when she was still the kind, caring Morgana we all used to know."

 _Wait, what?_ Merlin had feelings for her? Their relationship did used to be much closer, but that was only a petty crush. At least, she simply assumed that it had been. She'd never thought that it would have classified as him having _feelings_ for her, and after he'd made his attempt to kill her she had accepted that she'd been played for a fool, that there had never truly been anything between them. Trying to remain neutral and contain her surprise at that, she replies casually, "What feelings?"

Gwen casts her an infuriatingly knowing smile. "Oh please, you're a rubbish liar. I remember how you used to bring her flowers, the looks you two would give each other. But..." The look on Gwen's face becomes grave. "How is she? I'm sorry to ask, but I have to know. I know she's betrayed us, but she was my friend, and in a way I still care for her. Is she all right?"

It's like someone has struck her in the face. Why in the world does Gwen care about her, still? If anything, she should hate her, want her to burn in hell. After all, she has tried to get her executed, banished from the kingdom, has almost succeeded at both, used her brother as bait to lure her, Arthur, and Merlin into a death trap, and for the past year and a half has been trying very hard to kill the man she loves. She should despise her with a burning fury, and the fact that she doesn't and is, in fact, _worried_ about her well being, causes a turmoil of confusion to bubble up inside her along with the anger.

She shakes her head no. "She's.. not doing well. She's not who she used to be, but you already know that. And she's living in a hovel," she adds with distaste. Gwen looks saddened by this, but continues on a lighter note with all the news that Merlin would have missed out on over the last week. Still troubled by her comments, Morgana hardly listens until, finally, Gwen says her farewells, hugs her one more time, and leaves.

Merlin emerges from his room a few minutes later. He and Gaius approach a very stunned looking Morgana carefully. "So... How'd it go?" he inquires.

She abruptly stands up. "I- I don't- You know, I actually just need to be alone for a while. I'll take this with me," she says, picking up her book. "That way I will have something to focus on so I won't have to blow a hole in the wall," she tries to joke, knowing it sounds terrible, coming from her. Gaius gives a faint smile. She quickly turns and shuts herself away in the chambers.

"That good, hmm?" she hears Merlin mutter behind her.

"Shh, patience, Merlin," the physician replies quietly. "This is hard on everyone, including her. Give her some time, and I'm sure she'll come around."

Knowing that the old man holds some hope for her blackened, vile soul provides her some relief (even though, frankly, after all he's done she truly shouldn't give a damn what he thinks). And with that knowledge behind her, she sits on the bed and replays the recent conversations she has had with Merlin and Gwen over in her head. Trying to decide what it all means.

* * *

 **So, I know being emotional is pretty OOC for Gaius, but I wanted to explore his perspective on the situation. Of course he rationalizes his choices in the end, but I always saw him as a kind of grandfatherly figure to the four main characters and I doubt he was truly happy with how it all turned out, even though the kingdom was safe in the end (not an excuse, though).**

 **And here's a question for all you lovely folks who are reading this- how much interaction would you like to see between Gwen and Morgana (as Merlin)? So far there isn't much in comparison to that which goes on between her and the other characters. Let me know what you would like to see in the reviews, if you have a moment, please! :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Morgana is quiet for the rest of the evening. Merlin brings her dinner in his room, which by now she has claimed as her own. She hums in response as he sets the plate down next to the bed, and he so desperately wants to ask what on earth is going on with her. Well, he knows most of it, but her reaction earlier was... a lot different than what he had been expecting. He remembers Gaius' words, however, about giving her some time, and for once decides it would be best if he heeds them.

He had been eavesdropping through the door when Gwen came to visit, but the two of them had been talking in hushed tones and he really hadn't caught much, only some disjointed words. Somehow, he thought he had overheard something that Gwen had said, about him having feelings for someone. Hopefully, if he had heard correctly, she wasn't talking about the someone he suspected. That would just make this even more awkward than it already is.

He mulls over his thoughts as he eats, staring longingly out the window at the sunset. He's never been one for sitting still, and being locked up in this room for nearly two days is starting to make him stir crazy. He hopes that he will be able to leave soon, to go back to his daily routine of doing Arthur's chores. Not that they are particularly exciting, but they are much better than sitting around doing nothing. He smiles. Who would have ever thought he'd think that?

And so, the rest of the night is spent uneventful, simply continuing to read page after page of information that may be useful. So far, none of it has been, but who knows? Surprising things can happen when magic is a part of your life.

* * *

The following morning is the day that 'Merlin' is expected to return to his duties as Arthur's manservant. Morgana mentally steels herself for having to deal with her arrogant brother. All. Day. Long. "This had better be worth it," she grumbles as she walks out the door.

She quietly enters the king's chambers. She had hardly spoken at all last night, except for a quick rundown from Merlin on the chores that she would be expected to do, and how he usually goes about doing them. Plus another lecture on how she is not to harm Arthur, or she will pay, same old same old. So, as abruptly as she can, she flings open the curtains that are blocking the sun's rays from entering through the massive windows. Light floods the room, and Arthur groans something unintelligible.

His eyes are still closed, and he is not getting out of bed, so he can't see the wicked grin that appears on Morgana's face. Oh, Merlin had told her how he sometimes has to _drag_ the king out of bed. That seems like a bit too much effort, she thinks. So instead, she grabs the pitcher of cold water that happens to be at the ready on the table, and with a quick motion proceeds to dump its contents on Arthur's face.

"Rise and shine, Sire," she says cheekily as he sputters and curses. It galls her to use that title for _him_ , but she has to admit, being able to cause him discomfort brings her immense delight. It quickly disappears and is replaced by anger when she has to duck out of the way of the boot that comes hurtling at her head. She lifts her hand, automatically preparing to strike back, when she remembers who she is supposed to be and the fact that, if she harms this insufferable man, she is as good as dead. So she quickly lowers her hand and plasters a goofy grin back on her face. She tries to focus on the look that was on his face when she poured the water on him, and the grin quickly becomes genuine.

"Did you really feel that was necessary, _Merlin_ ," Arthur growls as he climbs out of bed. His eyes are foggy with the haze of only just waking up, and he squints at her wrist in confusion. "Are you wearing a _bracelet_?"

She can't help but roll her eyes. When did the royal pain in the arse suddenly become so observant? And why is it at the most inconvenient of times, when she is trying to pose as his manservant?

To be honest, she didn't forget to take the bracelet off. She blatantly ignored Merlin's protests to prove a point - he may have magic, and he may threaten her as much as he want, but she does not take orders from _him_. But, as he had feared, Arthur _did_ notice it. The thought of him being right makes her cross. She viciously whips the bangle off of her arm, stuffing it in one of the oversized pockets on Merlin's jacket as her brother focuses on stretching out his back.

"You're such a _girl,_ Merlin. Ha! Well? Was it a gift from someone _special_?" The blonde man raises an eyebrow and shoots her an arrogant grin, as if he knows something she doesn't. Though, the thought of Merlin having a sweetheart makes her stomach churn.

"I suppose," comes her short reply. "But frankly, it's none of your business. And since when are you ever this observant?" _I spent an entire year in this castle trying to bring about the downfall of your father and you never noticed!_

"And to think this," he gestures to the empty water jug, "and your attitude is how I am repaid for being generous enough to give you two days off."

She laughs coldly, and scoffs, "That was hardly a break after what I've been through." She's only digging herself into a deeper hole, she knows it, but he is so aggravating and she hasn't had the chance to personally tell him what she thinks of him in such a long time.

Arthur glares at her. " _Excuse me_? Merlin, what is going on with you today? I mean, you are usually a disrespectful fool, but this is going over the top."

"I'm sorry," she lies hurriedly. "I suppose I still am a bit shaken up from the whole 'being kidnapped' thing." She laughs, tries to make it sound like a joke.

Arthur eyes her warily, "Are you sure she didn't do something to you? I mean, I hardly saw you out and about yesterday, and I know you well enough to know that you never sit still for long."

"Honestly, Arthur. I'm fine. Sorry to worry you. Now, why don't you get dressed and I'll go get your breakfast from the kitchens?"

He grunts his agreement, and she is off to the kitchens in the blink of an eye. If there is anything she _doesn't_ want to see, it's her brother changing. Once in the kitchens, she dodges Cook's wildly swinging spatula, ignores the, "Keep your filthy fingers off my food!" and manages to make it out in one piece with Arthur's breakfast. Merlin wasn't joking when he said that woman couldn't stand him!

She stands dutifully off to the side as he eats, offering him something to drink. "No, thank you, I believe after this morning I am _thoroughly_ hydrated," he replies haughtily. She has to chuckle at this. His reaction this morning made this horrible job completely worth it.

And then he gives her the list of chores she is expected to have finished by lunch time, and she takes that last thought back. Honestly, how on _earth_ does he expect her to do all that in a matter of hours? " _Merlin actually puts up with this?"_ she thinks in amazement. She knows what an arrogant ass Arthur is, but really, being his servant is completely unbearable. If their roles had been switched, truly, she didn't think that she would be able to resist zapping him for more than a few days. Maybe even hours. She hopes she'll be able to hold out that long, but if he gets on her nerves enough times...

Before she can fulfill the pleasant thought of giving him a good zap with her powers, or turning him into a toad or something else equally as unpleasant and easy to crush, she nods and rushes off to complete the lengthy list of errands that she has been assigned.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi everyone! School is all finished for a while, so *hopefully* I should be able to update this story a couple of times over the next few weeks. I thought I would be able to update sooner, but with it being Christmas time it's crazy at work and I didn't get a chance to. But I really wanted to get this chapter posted and I finally have a little time, so here it is! Thanks for your patience, and if you have time afterwards let me know your thoughts on it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Merlin has been feeling unusually ill for most of the day. Maybe he ate something that wasn't right, because his stomach has been cramping like mad. He holds a heated rock to his stomach as he continues to flip through the dusty book in front of him.

Then Morgana storms in, and he forgets about his discomfort, because she looks like she is ready to pick a fight with a bear. "What happened?" he asks automatically, even though fearing the response.

"That- That- _Cocky_ ," she sputters. "He- He- Argh!" Looking him straight in the eye, she huffs, "Merlin, as much as it _pains_ me to admit it, it is admirable that you haven't blown my brother's head off yet. He certainly would have deserved it."

Merlin throws his head back and laughs at her utter frustration of working for Arthur. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so." He sees the questioning look in her eyes, and he hurriedly tries to backtrack. "Not the killing him part, I mean, but, you know, that it's admirable."

She offers a small smile in return. It doesn't reach her eyes, but it's better than the glares she has been giving him recently. "Of c _ourse_ , Merlin. I'm sure that's exactly what you meant." She unties the neckerchief and throws it off to the side with a flourish. "Thank goodness I can finally take that horrid thing off."

He pretends to be offended. "Excuse me, but that horrid thing," he grabs it and waves it like a flag, "is my most prized possession. It's my favourite scarf."

"Well, I'm happy for you. You evidently need to learn to have a better taste in clothing." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out the healing bracelet, turns it around in her hands. "He did see this, though. Not close enough to recognize it," she states as Merlin's eyes grow wide and he opens his mouth to admonish her for doing exactly what he told her not to. "He simply thinks that it is a gift from," and here she changes the pitch of her voice to a mocking tone, "someone _special._ I almost laughed at that one."

"Hey!"

Ignoring his offense, she continues, "Now, I think I'm going to have a hot bath. I can't remember the last time I was able to have one without being in a dank little hovel, and frankly, I think I deserve it as a reward for not killing Arthur. Don't you?"

Merlin is spluttering. "What? You're not actually- You're me- You'll see- No, you're joking, right?"

Morgana rolls her eyes at him. "Merlin, after all we have gone through, _this_ is what you are most worried about? Or has the thought of the woman you supposedly had feelings for once upon a time seeing you naked made you forget about my presence being a threat to Camelot?"

At these words, he feels his face burn. "She- Um- What? Who told you that?" Knowing very well who it was that spilled his secret to her. Damn it, he _had_ heard correctly.

"Why, Gwen, of course. She was worried that seeing me had broken your heart." She gives him a wicked smirk, with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Worry not, I'm sure it won't be _that_ exciting. It's not like you'll be the first man I've ever seen."

"Wait, _what?_ Morgana!" Now he is completely flustered, he can feel that the redness has reached his ears. She ignores him and proceeds to drag the big wooden basin into his room. He can't even make eye contact with her to give her a dirty look as she heats the water and draws the bath.

Before she disappears into his chambers, she calls to him, "Don't worry Merlin, I'll be careful with it, I _promise_." She laughs, shutting the door behind her.

Somehow the thought of her having seen other men in _that way_ and of being careful with _it_ has completely obliterated his capability to think rationally. Because now all he can worry about is how Gwen _told_ her that he had _feelings_ for her, and that he is extremely thankful to all the gods that Gaius was not in the room to hear that, and that she is currently looking at him naked. Forget about their current situation and how much of a problem it poses, and that they still haven't found a solution. Nope, that isn't even remotely close to being on his mind right now.

He groans, walks over to the hearth where he has been heating a new stone, and slumps down on the bench with it held up against his stomach to relieve the aching that he has finally remembered is present. Maybe this will at least help him take his mind off of the embarrassment of her... He can't even finish the thought.

* * *

His face has finally cooled down by the time Gaius returns home. The old man glances over at Merlin, eyebrow quirking up as he sees he is holding a rock to his abdomen. "Merlin," he begins cautiously, "is everything all right?"

"What? Oh, yes, Gaius. I think I ate something bad, because I've had a cramp in my stomach for most of the day. I just put some heat on it to help relieve the pain."

Gaius looks like he is about to say something, opens his mouth to do so, but with a knowing glint and a small smirk that Merlin doesn't seem to notice, he shakes his head and turns away, chuckling. Merlin, forever oblivious, wonders what that was all about. Sometimes the old man can be just as cryptic as the bloody dragon.

He frowns at the thought of Kilgharrah, imagining that the dragon's reaction to him stuck as Morgana would be similar to that of when he found out that Uther had married a troll.

Or, knowing his hatred for Morgana, he may very well be furious. Just so long as he didn't try to kill her, which would ultimately result in a rather brutal death for the both of them. That would be unlikely, though, because Kilgharrah could never attack a dragonlord. He hopes not, anyway. He didn't think Kilgharrah would ever attack Arthur, either, seeing as he was always the one talking about how it's his destiny to help Arthur unite all of Albion and to see that he becomes the greatest King in all of history. But when he was on his rampage he _did_ try to incinerate the prince, and managed to take out most of the knights who were present. Merlin purses his lips at the thought. Probably best to avoid getting the dragon involved in the first place...

Morgana emerges from his chambers just then, startling him from his thoughts, and announces, "Well, that _was_ surprising. I must admit, I wasn't expecting _that_."

Gaius looks completely baffled. Merlin feels himself turn beet red, again. " _Excuse me?"_

She seems to revel in his discomfort, and makes a suggestive gesture to the area she was talking about. Gaius' eyes widen as he puts two and two together and he turns away, hastily busying himself with preparing dinner.

Merlin can't let her get away with this one. He knows he can't embarrass her with similar comments, she'll just find a way to turn it around on him (plus Gaius is standing _right there_ , otherwise he would be able to make a better comeback), but he has to shoot back with _something_. And it almost instantly comes to mind.

"Well, I'm relieved to hear that," he retorts in a sarcastic tone. "Now, would you like to know what _I'm_ surprised with?" He holds up a matted clump of hair. "Honestly, Morgana, don't you _ever_ brush your hair anymore? You'd think for someone so worried about cleanliness, they would at least take the time to do something that simple. I mean, what _is_ this?" He pulls the rest of her tangled dark hair into his hand and waves it about at her to emphasize his point. "I'm pretty sure that's a dreadlock."

It's not anything compared to some of what she has just said to him, but she was extremely vain about her appearance at one time, and he knows it. Still is apparently, at least somewhat, because her brow furrows at his remark, and he allows himself a small grin of victory.

"Oh, that's _rich_ coming from you," she snorts, "a man who owns a grand total of two shirts and two neckerchiefs. Criticizing _my_ appearance!"

"Hey, I own more than two shirts, thank you very much! I have at least _five_!"

"They are all the same shirt, the only difference is whether or not they're red or blue!"

"Would you two _stop_ bickering?" Gaius cuts in. "Why don't you make yourselves useful and keep reading through those books to see if you can find anything. That is, unless you think that your current conversation is more important than returning you both back to normal."

Morgana huffs indignantly and Merlin mutters a quick, "Sorry, Gaius." But they both obey and return to the tedious task.

Gaius gives them a stern look, but when he turns away he can only wonder at how the two young adults' predicament has changed both of them so drastically in just under a week. They were threatening to kill each other only a few days ago, but seem to have moved on to trying to embarrass the other as much as is humanly possible. Gaius can't quite suppress a chuckle at the thought as the young warlock and witch flip through the pages of the books.


	15. Chapter 15

**Alrighty! Here's a quick little chapter to get things rolling again. I must say in advance, it is pretty much just a chapter where I torment Merlin because, frankly, he kind of deserves it. Hopefully you'll find it funny!**

 **Also going to give a warning about this chapter, there is nothing terribly graphic in it, but yes, there is mention of periods. If that makes you squeamish or uncomfortable, I would suggest skipping to the line break and reading from there down.**

 **Otherwise, thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows! I appreciate them very much, and I always love to hear what you think :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

Morgana has already dragged herself out of the room to go attend Arthur by the time that Merlin awakes. And when he does, he momentarily panics, thinking that he's been stabbed in his sleep. Then he notices the pain in his lower abdomen, and doubles over clutching it.

"Oi, I think something has been clawing at my insides," he groans. Gaius walks over to him and casually takes in the blood on the cot.

"Oh no, Merlin. You've just got your monthly courses, is all." Noticing the young man's stunned look, he begins to explain, "It's when the uterine lining sloughs-"

"I _know_ what it is, Gaius!" he hisses. "It's just... Bloody hell, this hurts. Now? Really? Bad timing. Really, _really_ bad timing."

The older man leaves him for a few minutes, shuffling around and gathering a few items. Merlin is too busy trying to keep his last meal down to notice what they are. He finds out soon enough, when Gaius hands him a small vial of clear liquid and a few clean cloths.

"What are these for?" Merlin asks.

"Well, the draught is for the pain-" Merlin is usually wary of the things Gaius hands him to drink, but he immediately downs it in one gulp, ignoring the horrible taste. "-and the rags are to prevent the blood from making a mess."

Merlin nearly chokes on the pain medication. "You mean, I have to put those-" he points to the rags, "-in there?" He points to the lower half of his midsection.

Gaius blinks at him. "Well, generally speaking, yes. You may want to wash up before you do so, and also change so that you can clean the stains off of that dress. I can go find you another, if you want-"

" _No!_ " Merlin cries out. "I don't want another _dress_! I'll get into my own things, thank you. At least then I'll be able to walk around normally."

Gaius laughs at him. He _laughs_ at him! "This isn't funny," Merlin says in an unimpressed tone.

"Of course it's not, my boy." The fact that the old man doesn't stop laughing isn't making Merlin feel any better. "It's just that... Only you." And he walks off to prepare for his morning rounds.

"Only me," Merlin grumbles, shuffling into his room with a bowl of warm water and a wash cloth. And then he realizes the rather intimate action he is going to have to perform, and he blushes even though he's the only one here. The irony of this situation, how he was so mortified by her seeing him last night, and now he has to see... Oh dear gods.

He sighs, and begins to clean the blood off, then carefully applies the rags. Then, _with his eyes squeezed shut_ , he might add, he quickly strips out of her dress and into his familiar blue shirt and trousers.

With that finally over with, he returns to his station in the main room of Gaius' apartment and resumes his reading, trying to keep his mind off of the roiling of his stomach.

* * *

Morgana returns to the apartment in slightly better spirits than the night before, but not much. This time, though, her curiosity overcomes her want to rant about her big-headed _dope_ of a brother when she sees Merlin in a different set of clothes than he was in this morning, and looking a little queasy.

He shoots her an impressive dirty look (she credits that to her own perfection of evil glares) when she asks him what on _earth_ is he wearing. He then points to her dress, now clean and hanging to dry by the fire, and explains about the surprise he woke up to this morning. She looks at him with an odd expression on her face for a moment, he initially thinks she's mortified, but then the expression changes to one of utter glee and she bursts out laughing.

"You mean- You have- Oh, my! This is _priceless_!" Tears are streaming down her face, she is laughing so hard. This new form of torment for him has certainly put her in a better mood. She no longer feels like destroying half of the city. Merlin continues to glare at her while she delights in his agony.

"Yes, I'm glad you think this is very funny," he snaps. "Because I don't! Honestly, though, how do women go through this every month?"

Morgana wipes her eyes, still chuckling. "Oh, it's nothing compared to childbirth. Not that I'm experienced with it," she says quickly, "but when you think about it..." Another laugh escapes from her lips. "And do you know what the best part is?"

"No, I really don't think I want to."

She ignores his protest. "I haven't had my courses in months, I believe due to my living conditions being less than optimal." She shoots him an accusatory glare at that, but hey, if he's prevented her from experiencing this pain in the last few months, he thinks she should be grateful that he drove her into a hovel. "Arthur is right!" she snorts. "You really _are_ a girl."

He looks at her with an expression of irritation on his face. "Well, at least this makes _you_ so happy," he grumbles.

"If you were in my shoes, you'd find this whole thing pretty hilarious, too. Look, I have to torture you somehow. Like I said earlier," she explains to him with a smirk, "I can't kill you, because that would be counterproductive. To me. So in the meantime, I will glean as much entertainment from this as I can."

Merlin frowns. "I know you hate me, Morgana, but do you still feel it's necessary to kill me? Hasn't the past week made you feel anything different? I don't know, not so angry at the world, or me, for that matter?"

The humor seems to slide off of her face at his comment. "As I recall, even when we were friends, you seemed to have no problem killing _me_. Why should I feel any differently about you, especially now that we are enemies?"

She waits for him to shoot back with something. But he doesn't. He's simply trying to hide the sadness that he feels at hearing those words slip from her mouth. He'd been hoping that there would have been at least a small shift in their relationship with this... whatever they could call it. Nowhere near friends, of course. But maybe something a little more positive than mortal enemies. He'd felt positive when she said she would think about it, about not taking out her hard feelings on anyone else besides him, and had secretly been hoping that as she thought about it she would come to decide that maybe she could feel something other than anger towards him as well. It's too soon, though. He should have known it would be too soon. Maybe even with all the time in the world, her anger towards him wouldn't falter.

"No comment?" She doesn't even wait for an answer this time, simply tosses his neckerchief off to the side as she did the night before and picks up a new book.

As she walks towards her room, she hesitates, turns around. "And, Merlin?" she says quietly. He stares at her, waiting for the inevitable insult. "I- " She surprises herself with what she is about to say. "I don't... _hate_ you."

A small smile creeps onto his face as she closes the door behind her. Not a lost cause, after all.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi all! As usual, thank you for the reviews and most of all for reading! After the last two chapters, I'm going to take a little break from tormenting Merlin for now (very briefly) to make way for the upcoming chapter, which should prove rather interesting... I'm sure you'll know what I mean by the time you're finished this one. Hope you enjoy it! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

The remainder of the week progresses more or less in a similar fashion, Merlin researching round the clock, Morgana and Gaius helping in their spare time. Morgana coming home in the evenings, ranting about what an idiot Arthur is, Merlin getting used to her random outbursts and learning to ignore them.

After Morgana admitted to Merlin, and to herself, in all honesty, that she no longer feels hatred towards him, the atmosphere of Gaius' apartment has been much lighter. The two of them frequently bicker, _mostly_ jokingly. Both of them almost start to appreciate each others' company, but then rapidly remind themselves not to get used to it, because this is only _temporary_. Right?

The pile of books is shrinking, in fact it's almost gone. Only a few more to go - but still no answers.

Tonight, they are finishing their dinner when they are startled by three loud raps that suddenly sound on the door. Merlin automatically shuts himself out of sight of whoever their guest is, and this time it is Morgana who answers the door.

"Yes?" she greets nonchalantly as she opens the door. Then sees who it is standing in front of her. "Oh. Hello, Gwaine." She does her best to keep the snarl out of her voice, to sound neutral. What does this big oaf want now?

He grins, apparently not noticing anything off about his friend. "Merlin! Just the fellow I wanted to see!" He strolls into the apartment without invitation. Morgana bites her tongue, because there are so many things she would like to say to this overconfident man, whom she has had the _pleasure_ of dealing with every day this past week. None of them are nice.

Gaius is clearing away the dishes, and smiles kindly at the knight. "Hello, Gwaine. Is there anything I can do for you this evening?"

"Not you, Gaius, though thank you." He flashes his trademark grin at the old man. "Merlin, here, however... " He throws his arm around the person in question, not realizing that he is playing with fire and is getting closer and closer to being turned into a goat by the second. "The boys and I were planning on taking him down to the tavern tonight, to celebrate his return. That is, if you can spare him for the evening?"

Gaius' mouth opens to respond, and he hesitates when he sees the look on Morgana's face. Something like a combination of a fire storm mixed with a threat of death. But it would raise questions if he said no, considering the circumstances, so he smiles and nods. "I don't see why not, I don't need him for anything this evening. I'll just get Merlin's help clearing up first," at this he gives her a significant glance, "otherwise it's up to him."

"No!" Morgana blurts out immediately. Gaius and Gwaine each look at her in surprise. Maybe she said that a little too quickly... Oh well. She hardly wants to spend the evening with the knights of Camelot and her _dear_ brother.

Rather than releasing his arm from around her shoulder and leaving her be, Gwaine's grip tightens and he ruffles her hair. She is gritting her teeth now, trying to keep herself from swearing profusely at him and shoving his arm off of her.

"Oh, come _on_ , Merlin. It's not like you to turn down an evening at the tavern! You need a night to unwind with your friends after your hectic adventure last week."

While he's speaking, she manages to duck under his arm and escape from his grip, moving several feet away from him. "Ah, well, you see there's this project I've been working on, and I would like to continue with it tonight." She shoots a look at Gaius, indicating that he'd better play along.

The physician obliges. "Oh, yes, it slipped my mind. As I said, it's really up to Merlin. If he wants to keep working on his project..."

"What exactly _is_ this project?" The knight inquires.

 _Damn. What is the project? Think!_ "I've been organizing Gaius' books." _Really? That was the best you could do?_

Gaius nods in affirmation. "That's right. He's been doing an excellent job so far."

Frowning, Gwaine questions, "I thought you said you didn't require his assistance this evening, Gaius?"

"Ah... I don't. But if this is what Merlin wants to do..."

"You'd honestly rather sort a bunch of dusty old books - no offense, Gaius - than spend an evening with your friends at the tavern?"

Morgana plasters a grin on her face and nods. "It's very satisfying work."

The knight regards them curiously for a few moments. Then shrugs, pretending to give in. "Ah well, I suppose I'd better go tell Arthur that you'd rather work on your sorting than come to the tavern with us tonight. Don't go anywhere, though, I'll probably be back in a few minutes when he orders you to take a break and come with us."

Knowing Gwaine, that's exactly what he will do. He won't give this one up easily, and Gaius knows it. If it was one of the other knights, Leon, for instance, it wouldn't be so much of a problem. To keep arguing at this point will only rouse even more suspicion from Merlin's friends, so he quickly steps in before Gwaine can head out of his apartment. "Hang on a moment. Merlin, the books can wait. Why not go with them this evening? You really do deserve a break."

At his words Gwaine turns back to face them with a massive grin plastered on his face. "Excellent! Thank you, Gaius, that's exactly what I was thinking! This should put you in a better mood than you've been in recently, eh Merlin? You've seemed so out of sorts as of late."

"But it's truly not a hassle sorting through the books." The pitch of her voice has changed ever so slightly in irritation.

Gwaine pretends not to notice and ignores her statement. "We'll meet down at the tavern, say, in an hour? See you there!" And he struts out the door happily, his mission accomplished.

* * *

As soon as the door closes, Morgana whirls around to face Gaius. "I am _not_ going down to the tavern with that group of primitive fools!" she snaps. "I need a good excuse to get out of this..." She simultaneously worries about the fact that the knights are starting to see that something is a little bit different about their friend. It won't end well for either of them if someone finds out who she really is...

Gaius sighs. "My dear, it's just one evening. Truly, if you want to keep up your guise as Merlin without raising further suspicion, it might be a good idea to go."

The young woman slumps, seemingly defeated. "I know," she says. "It's just... I'm tired of this. I want to be _me_ again."

"If it makes you that uncomfortable..." he begins.

She's hardly listening as the physician speaks to her. It's exhausting, all this pretending, playing the role of someone else. Of course that someone _has_ to be Merlin. It could be worse of course, but considering his life is so centered around Camelot and Arthur and hers is so, well... not. More like centered around their downfall, but being here again is so confusing, and dredges up so many memories and feelings that she had quashed in order to achieve her goal.

But what is this wallowing in confusion? She's Morgana Pendragon, she's never given up when faced with a challenge and she isn't about to start now. Unconsciously she straightens, now determined to prove to those bloody knights that everything _is_ normal, 'Merlin' _is_ fine, and for crying out loud they do not have to hover and question her all. The. Time.

By this point she realizes that she's let Gaius ramble on and hasn't heard a word he's spoken. She caught the first bit about not having to go if it makes her too uncomfortable, but after thinking about it she's made up her mind.

"Actually, it's okay, Gaius. Thank you, but I've decided I will go after all. It's more important to play along with this than to risk exposure. Besides..." She sends a devious look towards Merlin, who at this point has exited his room and is warily listening to the two of them talk, "it could prove to be very amusing."

The familiar glint returns to her eye when she says this, and Merlin immediately objects to the idea. He heard every word this time around, as Gwaine has never been one for discreet conversations. "What?" Morgana scoffs. "You don't think I could hold my liquor? Or you're worried that they will say something crude in front of me? Might offend my innocent ears?"

Merlin rolls his eyes. "Of course that's not what I'm worried about! And believe me," he adds with a scowl, "after hearing some of the things _you_ have said to me, I believe you to be _far_ from innocent. I'm worried about what you'll do to them when you've been left with them and a few drinks all evening. They're my friends, I don't want one accidentally getting fried, or turned into a toad!"

She smirks at him. "Thank you, Merlin. You've just helped me make my mind up. I will most _definitely_ joining them at the tavern tonight." She moves to help clear up the little living space.

Merlin smacks his forehead with his palm and groans. Gaius _tsks_ his tongue at him. "Really, Merlin. You should know better than to do that by now. Challenge her on something. You know that will just make her more determined to do it."


	17. Chapter 17

**I had some fun with this one! Knowing how flirtatious Morgana could be in her earlier times in the series, we have to see what will happen once she's had "a few" drinks.**

 **For those who are wondering when we will see Emrys - don't worry, you will see that side of Merlin eventually. It's coming, just rather difficult for him to do anything in Camelot right now with their situation. As per usual, thank you for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoy chapter 17!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

In the dimly lit tavern, Gwaine, Percival, Leon, Elyan, and even Arthur sit around a table with Morgana. Having just begun their seventh round of drinks, she is beginning to feel relaxed and giggly, even though she is supposed to be acting the part of Merlin. All of them, in fact, are quite loose and cheerful at this point. The five men had been extremely irritating to begin with, and she had wanted to zap them more than a few times. However, once the ale was flowing they turned out not to be so bad after all.

 _"No, not bad at all,"_ she thinks slyly as she eyes up Percival's biceps. He is tall, muscular, and handsome, and somehow she seems to only just be noticing that now. Her bleary eyes skim the rest of the men. Gwaine, as much of a pain as he is, really does have a charming smile and cuts a wonderful figure in his uniform. Elyan, always a gentleman, is also very handsome, but being her once upon a time best friend's brother, he is off limits. Leon has always been good looking, but she grew up with him after coming to live in Camelot. She's never felt that way about him, he would be too much like a family member to think about like that. It would almost be like her looking at Arthur as a prospect!

She pulls a face and shudders at the thought, thinking back to a time when she was simply Uther's ward, not his estranged daughter and not half sister to Arthur. Rumours were circulating that it was planned for her and the crown prince to be married one day. This thought, seemingly absurd now, strikes her as funny, and she begins to laugh. The men turn to look at her.

"Wha's so funny Merlin, eh?" Gwaine slurs. They all join in the laughter, without a clue as to what it is that they are laughing at. They are too inebriated to care.

"I was just admiring your arms," she says to Percival, scooting closer to him and nuzzling up against him, "and laughed when I realized I had never really noticed how wonderful they are before."

The large man laughs it off and gives her a playful shove off of him. "Come on now, Merlin. Don't go getting all mushy on me. None of that."

"Fine, then," she says smoothly. "I'll just be over here admiring Gwaine's handsome smile." The men laugh at her antics until she leans in towards Gwaine's mouth. The knight's eyes grow wide, and he pushes her away. "Whoa, now, Merlin. Calm down. I think he's had a bit too much to drink, boys. Better get him one more!"

They cheer as another round of drinks is brought to them, clink their glasses, and down the ale. Arthur is making some snide comment about Merlin's poor taste. _Merlin..._

"Merlin though... He's the best. Such a nice..." she trails off blearily without realizing, and then hiccups, accidentally causing flowers to pop up in Gwaine's hair. She is the only one to notice, points and laughs, "Look, there are daisies all over the big pansy!"

She then proceeds to pass out on the table.

* * *

Gaius awakes to muffled voices and a clanging outside his apartment. Judging from the moon's position, it is the middle of the night. He gets up and wearily shuffles to the door, opening it and poking his head out to see what all the racket is about.

What he sees is a sheepish looking Arthur and Gwaine, who are drunk and have managed to crash into a suit of armour that had been guarding the hallway. The latter has tiny daisies scattered in his hair. They are dragging a seemingly intoxicated Merlin, or rather Morgana, with them. The two men hastily grumble excuses and make a pitiful attempt to straighten the armour. In doing so, they accidentally drop Merlin's body, which falls to the floor and hits his head on the steel toe of the boot with a clunk.

"Whoops, we dropped him!" Gwaine laughs. Arthur cuffs him on the back of the head, giving him the best 'unamused king' look he can while being so heavily under the influence.

"That's not _funny_ , Gwaine," he says sternly. "I need him to be ready and able to do his job tomorrow, and he can't if he's being tossed all over the place!" Gaius looks up at the ceiling and shakes his head. He should have known better than to encourage her to go to the tavern tonight. Then he realizes Merlin is sleeping out in the open on a cot, in full view of whoever walks in. Only they won't see Merlin, but Morgana.

"I'll be right back to help you, Sire," he says quickly. "I... just need to clear something out of the way first." Neither the king nor his knight find anything strange with this, they are too relaxed to care. Gaius rushes into his apartment and shakes Merlin's shoulders. "Get up!" he whispers frantically. Merlin stirs with a groan, sits up and rubs his eyes, groggily. "Get yourself in there!" Gaius hisses, pointing to his chambers. "Arthur and Gwaine are about to bring Morgana in here and you'll be in deep trouble if you're found like this!" The young warlock's eyes grow wide as he fully awakens. He nods and practically runs into his room to get out of sight.

Just in time, too, because the Arthur and Gwaine have decided not to wait for Gaius after all. They lumber in, carrying a limp Morgana with them. "Where would you like us to set him, Gaius?" Arthur inquires. Gwaine scoffs, and responds, "In his room, _obviously_ , Arthur. Where else would he go?" The knight is feeling very clever right now.

Gaius hastily tells them no, that he has a cot on which he would rather have them place Merlin. That way he is right there should he be needed at all while he's in this state. The two young men shrug, and set him carefully on the makeshift bed.

As they are about to leave, Arthur turns to the old physician with a slightly perplexed look on his face. "Gaius..." he begins. "Keep an eye on him, would you? He was acting rather odd tonight, has been all week since he got back, actually."

"I see." Gaius' eyebrow raises, and he urges the king to continue. "What do you mean by 'odd'?"

"I'm sure most of tonight was the alcohol, but..." Arthur hesitates, not sure how to word this. "He seemed to have taken a, um, liking, I suppose I could say, to some of the knights."

Gwaine snorts and adds, "I'll say! He made a pass at Percival, and then tried to smooch me!" He grins. "I mean, I know I am irresistibly handsome, but Merlin has definitely never been interested in other gents before." He frowns. "But then he said something _really s_ trange, something about himself being the best, such a nice something. Apparently our friend gets a little self absorbed when he's been drinking!"

Gaius tries to listen solemnly, doing his best not to roll his eyes at the antics Merlin and Morgana have gotten themselves involved in. He's starting to see that the young woman seems to have just as much of a knack for finding trouble as Merlin. He nods and gives a slight smile to his sovereign. "Of course, Sire. I'll apologize on his behalf if he... got carried away this evening. Thank you for bringing him home."

Arthur nods. "Not a problem at all, Gaius. We all had a good time, so we can pitch in to help a friend home." The bleary look in the men's eyes says none of this will be a solid memory for them come morning, thankfully. With a final good night, the door closes between them. He hears another crash and swearing, and feels sorry for the suit of armour.

He enters Merlin's chambers to tell him that he is safe now, but his ward is snoring away on his bed. So he leaves as quietly as he entered, and climbs onto his own mattress. _"What am I going to do with those two?"_ he thinks as he drifts back to sleep.

* * *

When Merlin awakes, he is pleased that he has finally been able to sleep in his own bed for the first time in the last week and a half. Then he frowns, remembering the strange events that occurred last night. Early daylight is streaming in through his window, so he may as well get up now and hear about how everything went at the tavern. Although he has a looming suspicion of what he might find out.

Gaius is bustling around the apartment preparing for his morning rounds when Merlin exits his room. He glances over at the cot off to the side, and, rather than seeing Morgana passed out as he expects, he sees her hunched over with the chamber pot nearby. Her face has a nasty green tinge to it. _"Oh dear,"_ he thinks. Then says out loud, "Rough night for you, was it, Morgana?" Her head snaps up, and the glare that she sends him should make him recoil, but his grin only widens.

Especially when she realizes that moving her head so quickly was a mistake, and she reaches up to rub her temples with a moan. He isn't usually one to feel good at the sight of another in misery, but after his experiencing horrible stomach cramps and her reaction to that, he thinks it's only fair that the tables have turned this time.

"Honestly, Merlin," she croaks out, "you could have told me you were such a lightweight _before_ I went out drinking with your beastly friends."

He laughs at this. "I can hold my liquor quite well, thank you very much. I wasn't the one pouring drinks down your throat all night. How many did you have, anyway, to make you feel like this?"

She squints, trying to remember. "Um... I think... About seven or eight, maybe? I can't really remember much."

He rolls his eyes. " _Seven or eight_? That's enough to make a big man like Percival feel the effects! What were you thinking?"

At this point, Gaius chimes in. "Well, we know for sure that it was enough for even Gwaine and Arthur to be drunk. They could hardly walk in a straight line when they showed up, in fact they are the ones who knocked over that suit of armour in the hallway and then dropped you, Morgana."

Merlin whips around. "They _dropped_ me? You know, I'm actually offended by that."

"Oh, stop complaining," Morgana snaps. "At least you're not the one who has to deal with the resulting aches and pains this morning."

Clearing his throat, Gaius continues from where he left off. "And I think it's good for _both_ of you that the knights and the King were just as inebriated, and so probably won't remember much, if anything." The two young adults give him questioning stares. Gaius relays the tale as he heard through Arthur and Gwaine about Morgana's antics. Both their eyes widen in horror.

"Oh _goddess_ ," Morgana groans, burying her face in her hands. "I almost kissed _Gwaine_? No, no, no. That's just..." And she looks about ready to be sick again.

" _That's_ what you're worried about?" Merlin cries. "Think of how that will look on me if any of them remember! _And_ you almost revealed my magic to them!"

"All of my dignity is gone!"

Gaius rolls his eyes. "That's why I said it's a good thing they were also drunk, because in the state that they were I highly doubt much of the evening will remain in their memory." He gives them both a stern look. "But they have been noticing your strange behaviour, Merlin, and they are starting to grow suspicious. So we either have to find the remedy for this soon, or you two will have to search for it elsewhere. Sooner or later someone is bound to discover your presence, Morgana, and I don't want either of you put at risk like that."

On that somber note, Gaius heads out. Merlin and Morgana spend a few minutes in a thoughtful silence. He is the first one to break it. "I think I should be through all the books by this evening," he says. "At least we'll know soon enough whether or not the answer lies here."

She sighs. "I suppose that will be good." Then her eyes widen at the time. "Damn, I'm going to be late! His royal pain in the behind won't be pleased."

"I thought you hated the job and the whole 'being me' thing."

Scowling, she replies, "Of _course_ I do. But I don't want us to be found out, either, because I happen to like my head where it is, thank you very much." She stands up shakily, and he watches in amusement as she wobbles her way over to the table, then leans on it, needing a break from the difficult task of walking while hung over. But then he feels an uncomfortable fluttering sensation in his gut, and he has to ask something that has been wriggling in the back of his mind since Gaius mentioned it.

"Morgana... It sounds like Gwaine mentioned something about you saying I was the best..." He swallows hard. "What- What does that mean, exactly?"

"I was _drunk_ , Merlin. People speak nonsense when they are drunk," she says harshly. "That's all it was. I mean, I would never try to kiss Gwaine in my right mind, so obviously I was pretty far gone." But he notices the faint blush that creeps onto her face at his question. They speak no further, and Morgana finally manages to make it out the door without the world seeming to spin around her, leaving Merlin to brood alone while finishing up his task.


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm caught in a bind, all I want to do is work on my stories (and sleep, seriously I would love to have a week or so just to catch up on it), but it's that time of semester where I have to work on major projects. And I haven't started on any of them yet. *Le sigh*. Anyway, since I've become very good at ignoring school-related thoughts, here's chapter 18!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

As it turns out, it would have been more than fine to stay at Gaius' for longer this morning, because when Morgana arrives at Arthur's chambers, she finds him still unconscious on his bed, seemingly also hung over. A small grin creeps onto her face. She won't dump water on him today, but she has other ways to make his morning miserable. She flings the heavy curtains open with a flourish, and in the most obnoxiously loud voice she can muster, says, "Good _morning_ , Arthur! How did you sleep?"

The king claps his hands over his ears and moans. "Will you _shut up_ Merlin! Don't speak so loud. Oi, my head..."

Good. After what they put her through last night, this will be wonderful payback. She goes to retrieve his breakfast, and when she returns he is still huddled up on his bed. She makes a point of causing as much of a racket as she can with the plates, pitchers, and goblets until he finally sits up crossly and, with a huff, gets up and ducks behind the dressing screen to change.

"It's so good to see that you still haven't lost your inability to take orders," he tells her grouchily. "Could you make _any_ more noise?"

"I could if you want me to."

"No!" The king squints at her. "From the looks of it, you're in worse shape than I am. How on earth are you up and about, still managing to make such a racket without hurting your own ears?"

She tries to give him a goofy Merlin grin. "Well, I thought I should share my misery with someone. Why not you?" And chuckles. The loudness is actually starting to make her headache worse, but it's worth it to be able to torment her brother. "How _did_ you enjoy last night, Sire? It would seem as though you did quite a bit."

Arthur walks out from behind the screen and scowls at her. "I... think it was good to start off with. I don't remember much towards the end." His face scrunches up as he thinks, then it breaks into a grin. "We had to carry you home last night, didn't we? Ha! You really are such a lightweight, Merlin. Which is surprising, considering how much of your spare time you spend down in the tavern."

She rolls her eyes. "Like you're _so_ much better," she mutters under her breath.

"What was that?"

"I said, 'Whatever you say, Arthur'."

"Hmmph." He gives her a dirty look, and the pout remains on his face until she sets his breakfast tray in front of him. Then his face brightens considerably.

After finishing breakfast, Arthur heads to the training grounds. Morgana of course is obligated to follow him, but is not looking forward to this at all. She hopes that none of them remember the previous night, she's been lucky with Arthur so far, all he knows is that they had to carry her back to the room. But the rest of them...

And of course, as fate would have it, she is _not_ so lucky. Because the first thing that Gwaine does when he sees her is shoot her a cheeky grin and tease, "Hey, Merlin! I haven't washed my face yet this morning so don't be trying any of _that_ today!"

Oh, how she wishes she was allowed to use her magic. He'd be nothing more than a smoking hole in the ground at this point. She just throws him an unimpressed glance, and tries to ignore him. But of course, now Arthur and everyone else are curious, so Sir Loudmouth relays the tale to them. This makes them guffaw and slap her on the back jokingly, saying things like, "My, aren't we the frisky one," or, "Getting rather adventurous now that you've returned, eh, Merlin?"

Rolling her eyes, she retorts, "Well, I'm not the only one. Gaius told me that Gwaine had daisies in his hair last night when he helped Arthur _drop_ me off at his apartment." She narrows her eyes as she emphasizes the word 'drop'.

Gwaine laughs, then looks confused. "Ah... Wait, I had... What in the world? How...?" Now it is his turn to get ribbed by the other fellows, and she sits back and enjoys the spectacle.

* * *

On her way back to Gaius' apartment, Morgana catches sight of Gwen coming towards her. She ducks her head down, trying to pretend she hasn't seen the other woman. It's complicated enough having to be around Arthur, Merlin, and Gaius all the time, so she's been avoiding Gwen like the plague. Because all their conversations seem to do is dredge up unwelcome feelings of loneliness and regret - not emotions that someone as strong as herself should be feeling.

But it's too late. She hears Gwen call out, "Merlin!"

 _Damn it._ Now she can't escape. Not if she doesn't want her nosy brother to find out and become even more suspicious about his manservant's odd behaviour. Gritting her teeth, she forces herself to turn and smile at her. "Gwen! I didn't even see you there!"

Gwen chuckles, saying, "I can tell. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been avoiding me." She tries to make it sound like a joke, says it with an understanding smile on her face. But Morgana knows her well enough to be able to see in her eyes that she is in fact genuinely hurt by her actions. Add guilt to the list of unwelcome feelings, as a wave of it washes over her.

"Of course I wouldn't do that!" She can't think of anything else to say after that, so she tries to encourage Gwen to talk. "How have you been doing?"

"Oh, well, fine I suppose." A look of mischief crosses her face as she looks at Morgana. "So, I was talking to Arthur earlier..."

 _Oh no._

Gwen can't hold back the grin that breaks out across her face. "You and Percival and _Gwaine_ , hmm? That's certainly a change for you."

"Well, you see, it wasn't _really_ like that. I just, you know, get emotional when I'm drinking. Nothing out of the ordinary about that."

"No, nothing at all. I understand. They are rather handsome men, after all. No one could blame you for looking." Lowering her voice to a whisper, she continues to tease, "Just as long as you don't start that up with Arthur."

Morgana, usually equipped with a comeback for every occasion, has absolutely no idea how to respond to this. Gwen simply laughs lightly at her expression, says her goodbyes, and leaves to return to her duties.

* * *

Merlin has just closed the final book and leans back to rest his eyes when the door swings open. Morgana walks in, and he waits for her to go off on her usual tangent about Arthur and the knights and how big of a group of idiots they are. She doesn't though. Rather, she just stands there, looking off at nothing in particular.

"Well?" he prods. May as well get this over with now, and then they can move on to more important things. Like what to do now that he knows the answer to their predicament does not lie here in Gaius' apartment.

"Hmm? Oh." Her face darkens. "Gwaine remembered," she says with distaste. "So naturally he had to inform the rest of them. But I don't think they can bother you too much about it considering I made sure to tell them about his recent choice in hair accessories."

Merlin snorts, and she continues. "I ran into Gwen, too, on the way back here. It seems Arthur made sure to tell her about everything, so needless to say she now thinks that you have recovered from me breaking your heart again. But other than the general pain of having to do all of Arthur's chores, nothing particularly bad happened today."

"I was not, _am not_ , heartbroken by you!" he splutters. She raises an eyebrow at him, and he turns pink as he realizes how that sounded.

"Too bad you aren't wearing a red shirt today, Merlin. Otherwise your face would match it perfectly." On a more serious note, she takes note of the closed book in front of him. "Are you through them all, now?"

He nods. "I am. Unfortunately, none of the information we are looking for was in them." They sigh simultaneously, then give each other startled glances. "So, I suppose we will need to take our search elsewhere if we are to return to our rightful bodies. We just need to get _you_ away from Arthur somehow, because reversing this won't be possible if we aren't both present, I don't think." _Plus I don't want to leave you alone and tempt you to kill him while I'm gone._

She hums in agreement, gives a slight nod, seemingly lost in her own thoughts again. He'd like to discuss this with Gaius some too, before they make any decisions. And Morgana doesn't seem overly talkative at the moment, so he decides it can't hurt to take that well earned nap now.

His eyes have been closed for only a few minutes before Gaius enters the chambers. He forces them back open, and after some general chit-chat with his mentor about the day, he proceeds to tell him that he couldn't find any solution in his collection of books.

Gaius frowns. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I truly wish I could be of more help to you. You'll have to go ask him for help then, won't you? I'm sure he's seen something like this before and could give you some advice."

Merlin groans. "I was really hoping not to have to while I'm like this, but you're right. I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

Morgana perks up at this. "Who's _he_?" she asks, curious. Merlin just shakes his head with a tiny grin, and replies, "You'll see." She grumbles under her breath and glares at him.

"How exactly are you planning on getting out of your servant duties?" Gaius directs this question at both of them.

Morgana looks at Merlin, and says, "I say we simply kill Arthur and then we wouldn't have to get his permission." Merlin gives her a dark look, and Gaius seems momentarily stunned. "What?" she asks. "It was just a joke. I don't actually think we should kill Arthur. For this, anyway."

"Not funny," Merlin replies. She rolls her eyes at him, and he says seriously, "I was actually thinking of making a fake letter saying that my mother is very sick in Ealdor, and that I have to go home and care for her for an indefinite amount of time. I don't want to lie, but that is one thing I know Arthur is particularly understanding about, especially after losing both his parents."

Gaius nods in agreement. "Good idea. And the sooner you can tell him of this, the better. Not that I am in a rush for you to leave, but I think it may be wise for you both to be out of Camelot as soon as you can, so that no one discovers you."

The two mages nod in agreement. Merlin works to create a fake letter while Gaius prepares dinner. The three of them eat quietly, various worries and hopes playing out in each other's minds. It doesn't take long for them to finish, with no one talking, and Morgana heads off with the letter to inform Arthur that she will be leaving the next morning.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi all! This one's kind of a quickie, just to get the story moving along. Hopefully I'll be able to put some more time into this story soon since my last day of classes is tomorrow! Wahoo, freedom! At least for a month, and then the summer semester starts, but I'll happily take what I can get.**

 **There's been a fair numbers of new reviewers over the last several chapters, so I just wanted to say thanks so much for your support! And of course, to those who have been following and/or reviewing since the start, a big thank you as well! Knowing you guys like this story makes me super happy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

"You have to leave?" Arthur asks incredulously. "Merlin, you've barely just returned. And after what you went through... Are you sure you'll be able to handle this?"

Morgana nods solemnly. "Yes, Arthur. I have to. She's my mother, and she needs me. This isn't a time to be thinking of myself."

He sighs. "I know, and I understand. I would do the same if I were in your position." She almost snorts, but manages to stifle it. _If he only knew half of it..._ "Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow morning, though?"

She nods again. "I see." Trying to lighten the mood, he grins. "Well, it's going to be strange having a servant who is actually useful and competent. You may be out of a job when you return."

"Does that mean I'll actually get a day off, then? You know, that doesn't sound too bad!" She's been trying to imitate Merlin's mannerisms, and after the past week as Arthur's servant, she truly understands _why_ Merlin gives Arthur the lip he does.

Arthur scoffs. "Of course not, don't be ridiculous!" But he stands, claps his friend on the back. "Good luck, Merlin. And... take care, will you? She's still out there, so be watchful."

"Of course, Arthur. Thank you." She turns to leave when Arthur calls after her.

"One more thing- would you tell Gwen, and say goodbye to her before you leave? She's so worried about you, and has been trying to give you your space, but... it would mean a lot to her."

Morgana pushes down her irritation and...anxiety?... at this request. "Of course," she says, and exits his chambers.

Now, then... she may as well get this over with right away. But why is this making her nervous? Gwen is- _was_ , she corrects herself, her friend. She shouldn't feel nervous, but just hasn't known how to feel about the fact that the other woman still cares for her, even after all that she's done. It almost makes her feel guilty, and she hates that. It makes her uncomfortable, so naturally, she's been avoiding talking to her. It's so much easier that way.

She knows where to find Gwen at this time of night. She'll be in her small cottage in the lower town, probably just finishing up her dinner. So that is where she goes, and when Gwen opens the door her face breaks into a smile.

Morgana explains what she is supposed to, and says goodbye. Gwen's face falls at the news that her friend will be leaving so soon, for who knows how long, but she is understanding as always. "Well, I'll miss you," she says. "I know you'll be back soon, but I'm just... You'll be careful, won't you? I don't want you to get hurt again. And I don't want to lose another friend."

Something about the sincerity in the other woman's voice makes Morgana miss their friendship so sharply and suddenly that she feels a true tightening in her chest. She misses Gwen, and she misses her sister... All her close friends, people that she could trust, are gone, out of her reach. It's not fair.

'Merlin," Gwen says quietly, concern etched in her features, "are you alright?" Morgana suddenly realizes that her eyes are threatening to tear up on her, so she hastily blinks, laughing to cover it up.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm really sorry for being so stand offish this past week. I hope you know that you are one of my dearest friends, and I'll do my best to make up for this. And I promise I'll be careful." She means every word. Gwen smiles gently, and with a hug, Morgana leaves and heads back to Gaius' apartment. Feeling a pang of sadness at the unlikeliness of ever seeing her friend under pleasant circumstances again.

Morgana is in a mood when she returns, Merlin can tell. Not a 'tear down the city and raze it' kind of mood, but something is certainly irritating her.

She doesn't say anything snarky, which comes as a surprise to Merlin, but simply asks quietly, "Is there anything you would like me to bring along? Other than my own belongings, I mean."

He nods. "Well, Gaius is preparing some food rations for us. They won't last for long, but should do us for a few days. I can bring those, and I'll have some herbs along with me for healing and potions, should we need them, but..." He pauses, looks over at Gaius, who nods his head in affirmation. "If you'd like, feel free to go through any more of the herbs that you might need to perform your own spells or healing. You've always been a good healer, so I may have missed something that you would want to take with us. Also feel free to bring along a spare shirt and trousers, because who knows how long we'll be like this, and I'm sure you'd like to wear something other than the same clothing for days on end."

Morgana does just that, and after taking some time poring over Gaius' vast collection of herbs, she chooses a few that are to her liking and heads into her room to pack them up along with a fresh set of clothes. She turns towards Merlin before she walks through the doorway.

"Oh, by the way, Merlin..."

"Yes?"

"I expect you to change out of those horrific clothes you deemed necessary to put on my body back into my own. Should we run into anyone on the way, I don't want to be seen looking like _that_." She waves her hand in his general direction with a look of disdain on her face.

"What? How do you expect me to ride a horse in that thing?" he asks in disbelief, looking from her to her dress, and back again.

She smirks, and a mischievous glint reignites in her eyes. "I've been doing it for my whole life, and you're worried about it for a few days? It's easy enough. Besides," she adds, "I'll have fun watching." She pauses, thinking, then continues, "And would you do _something_ to remove that dirt off of you? Since I was kindly evicted from Camelot, I haven't been able to bathe as frequently as I would like, but definitely enough that I don't look like I'm growing some kind of second skin."

Merlin huffs. "I don't look like I have-" Then he looks down at the arm he is gesturing with, and sighs as he realizes that she is right, he is rather grimy. "But, I- I can't do that, not like this."

She rolls her eyes as he blushes. "Honestly, Merlin. If it makes you so uncomfortable just use a cloth and don't take everything off." She knows this isn't necessary but she so enjoys making him squirm like this. "I'm sure you've seen a woman before. It's really not that exciting." Gaius shoots him a warning look, saying that he better not have, or, if he has, he doesn't want to know about it. Merlin turns an even deeper shade of red, but has no answer for her. He just mumbles something rapidly under his breath.

She cocks her head at him, pretending to be confused. "I'm not sure what that means. But in any case, if you aren't going to take advantage of your last chance to have a hot bath for who knows how long," she says smartly, "then _I_ will."

She's satisfied at having embarrassed him thoroughly, and almost doesn't notice the cheeky grin that spreads over his face as his eyes glow gold and a heavy, wadded up towel flies at her head. She yelps and ducks out of the way just in time, before turning to narrow her eyes at him with her hands on her hips.

"You'll want to make sure you've got a cloth, then," he says innocently.

Picking it up in as dignified a manner as she can, she retorts, "How kind of you." As she enters his chambers she can hear him chuckling in the background.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi guys! Sorry I've been gone for such a long time on this story, I definitely misjudged when I thought I was going to have lots of spare time to work on it and update. Back in school now (good ol' summer semester) so I can't make any promises as to the regularity of updates, but know it is still a work in progress and you don't have to worry about it being abandoned ;)**

 **Thank you for the kind words so far, always makes my day to hear that you're liking the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

The following dawn comes quickly. Merlin will be the first to depart, sneaking out past the guards before the sun rises completely. Morgana will follow soon after, and will take Merlin's bay gelding from the stables for her journey to "Ealdor". The saddlebags are packed and ready to go, and they've chosen a rendezvous point, a clearing a few miles away from the city walls. From there, they will return briefly to Morgana's hovel so that she can retrieve her own horse, as they have no idea how far they will need to go in order to find their answers. Hopefully, the meeting with the mysterious "he" that Merlin still refuses to identify will provide them with some aid.

The two young adults are anxious to be on their way, to return to normal. Yet at the same time there is an overhanging feeling of gloom and a looming sense of finality at leaving their humble abode. Something has changed since they arrived; even though the circumstances have been anything but usual, both have felt a familiar feeling of something lost having been found.

Gaius hugs the young warlock and wishes him luck and to return soon. Merlin assures him that he will. Morgana tells him that he'd better be careful before they reach their rendezvous point, because if anything happens to her body she will hold him responsible. "I don't want to die because of your idiot carelessness," she says haughtily.

Merlin laughs. "Do you really think the guards will catch me? Honestly, Morgana, you know how many times you walked out those gates right under their noses in one of those unsubtle, billowing cloaks, and they never once noticed you leave _or_ return. And half the time I was following you, as well! I'm sure I'll be fine. They never seem to find anything suspicious about cloaks that are obviously being used to hide one's identity."

He _is_ right- the guards in Camelot are completely useless. Pulling up his hood and placing a small pack over his back, Merlin gives a quick nod and slips out the door into the quiet hallway.

She will leave once the sun is giving off more light, which should be in about a half an hour or so and is the typical time for anyone going on a journey to depart. She quietly leafs through one of Gaius' books as the old man goes through his usual morning routine of preparing to visit his patients in the lower town.

It doesn't take long for the time to pass. Morgana tucks her dagger under her jacket, she had insisted Merlin return it to her before they left. She really would prefer to have a sword as well, but that would be out of character for someone supposedly just leaving on a trip to go see his sick mother. And it would be rather difficult to conceal. She does have one back in her hovel, though, she could get it then...

Morgana is lost in her thoughts as she slings the saddlebags up on her shoulder, so Gaius clears his throat to gain her attention. "I wish you all the best, Morgana, and safe travels."

Morgana blinks at him. She suddenly feels unsure of what to say, so she speaks softly and slowly, "Thank you, Gaius... for taking us in and helping us look for a solution in your books."

The old man smiles kindly and pats her hand. "You are very welcome, my dear. Now, you take care and keep yourself and Merlin out of trouble. You both seem to have a knack for finding it, and I would like very much for both of you to return in one piece."

That's a strange comment for him to make, considering that they both know that she will never be able to return to Camelot after all she's done, not in this lifetime. But she shoves down confusing emotions that keep insisting on popping up, gives him a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes, and strides out the door to go ready her horse.

* * *

It's not long before Morgana rides into the clearing, and sees that Merlin is patiently waiting for her, sitting on a fallen log. She trots up to him, pulls his gelding to a halt and dismounts. "I see you made it here alright, without any trouble I presume?"

Merlin smiles wryly at her. "Well, there was some as I was leaving the city. But nothing bad enough to be of any importance. Apparently the guards suddenly decided to do their jobs for once, so two of them tried to stop me for questioning on my way out. No one else was around, though, so I simply caused a few barrels to roll towards them. That kept them occupied, it was either get out of the way or be knocked over."

She grins at the thought of the city guards being chased around by enchanted barrels. Too bad she never thought of that while she was still there, it would have served for some excellent entertainment. But she had been too obsessed with her dark practices at the time to think about using her magic to pull pranks.

She snaps herself out of her reverie and finds Merlin watching her intently. "What?" she asks, scowling. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

He smirks. "You've just seemed very distracted as of late. Nothing's wrong with that," he adds quickly as she narrows her eyes at him, "it's just that before you were always focused on something, be it overthrowing Camelot or making me your slave. You never let yourself stop." _This is what you used to be like, relaxed and daydreaming rather than trying to kill us all._

"Well, some of us have better things to do with our time than sit around and twiddle our thumbs all day. It keeps your mind sharp." She knows this is unfair to say, especially since she has spent a week in his shoes chasing around after a useless king. But she can't let him think that she has any respect for him, because she doesn't, she tells herself, so she says it anyway.

He snorts. "Whatever you say, Morgana." He looks around the clearing. "You know, this is usually where I would meet him. But seeing as it's daylight out, I'd rather not risk him having to come this close to Camelot and possibly being seen. So we'll have to find somewhere else, but we'll still stop back off at your hut first."

"Why won't you tell me who this 'he' is?" It's starting to annoy her. If she's going to meet this person, whoever he is, she may as well know in advance.

"Well, you had your fun embarrassing me back in Camelot, so now it's my turn to have fun by making you crazy with curiosity." He says this with a cheeky grin, and she gapes at him.

"You are such a _child_!" she admonishes, and he only laughs. She wants to blast him with her magic right now, not to kill him, but to give him a good jolt. Instead she settles for smacking him hard on the arm, and he yelps.

"Ouch." He rubs the area where she hit him. "I hope you don't bruise easily."

She rolls her eyes, then mounts the bay gelding once more. She holds out her hand to him grudgingly. "Well, come on, then."

He takes it and, using the log as a mounting block, swings up ungracefully behind her, muttering the entire time. "You know this would have been so much easier if you had just let me keep wearing my own clothes rather than forcing me into this thing." He waves his hand at the dress.

"Merlin, it's never been in my nature to make things easy for anyone, much less _you_. Why would I start now?" He grumbles as she squeezes the horse into a trot, and they begin their trek into the forest.

* * *

It takes several hours to reach her hovel on foot, but riding it takes only about one. They bicker occasionally on the trip there, but for the most part they ride in silence. Eventually, though, as they make their way deeper into the forest, Morgana has to ask one more question that has been on her mind since the night that they had their explosive fight in Gaius' apartment.

She twists her head around to glance at him behind her. "Let me ask you this, Merlin. If you knew the e _ntire time_ that I was being used as the vessel for Morgause's enchantment, why didn't you just tell me?"

He looks startled by this question, and eyes her warily. "Why are you bringing this up now?" At her harsh look, he continues with a sigh, "I thought you knew. I thought you had agreed to let her use you as the vessel to help destroy Camelot."

She shakes her head and returns to a her forward facing position. "Did you really have so little faith in me? Back then my quarrel was only with Uther. I agreed to help bring him down, not all of Camelot. If I had known that it meant hurting my friends back home..."

"I didn't know of any other way-"

"You could have _told me_!" she snaps, and he winces at her tone. "You honestly believed that I would have chosen my own life over the people that I loved? You obviously didn't think much of me, did you? Don't you remember me fighting to help save _your village_ from _bandits_? I came to help you even before Arthur did! You could have told me, and I would have willingly given up my own life to end the attack on Camelot."

"But if I had told you, and it turned out you _had_ known and done it willingly, or if you refused to cooperate, you would have seen right through me when I offered you the water. And you were the king's ward, it's not like I could have just run you through with a sword! All would have been lost."

She twists around in the saddle again to glare daggers at him. "And how much was lost for _not_ telling me?" she growls. "I've lost everything, my home, my sister, people who I thought were my _friends_ and family. None of this had to happen!"

He looks at her darkly. "As much as I admit my actions were wrong, Morgana, you can't hold me solely responsible for the choices that _you_ made. Remember, _I'm_ the one who gave Morgause the vial that I used to poison you so that she could save your life. Yes, I poisoned you, and I'm sorry, but I also gave you the opportunity to continue living. Everything that happened from that point on was _your_ doing. Your _choice_."

"You have no idea what it's like to be betrayed so deeply by a friend."

"Actually, Morgana, I think I do."

Morgana gives him a disgusted look before turning away. "No. You lost the right to call me your friend when you tried to kill me," she spits out.

Neither of them speak for the rest of the ride.

* * *

 **Dun dun duh! Just when they were starting to get along (kind of). But it's a bit more fun when it's a roller coaster, don't you think? Anyway, they are finally out of Camelot and on their way again. Hope you enjoyed :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi all! Thank you for patiently waiting for the next chapter - since I last uploaded, AEoS has reached 100 reviews, and it's also officially been a year since I first published it. So thank you so, so much for kind words and favouriting (I don't think that's a word, but for all intents and purposes it can be, lol), and of course most of all for reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

Upon reaching their destination, Merlin and Morgana find a familiar black horse waiting atop the hillside in which Morgana's hovel resides. He grazes while he stands patiently, awaiting his master's return.

Agravaine.

The man is no real threat to either of them, to be honest, but having him here to interfere with their plans is a nuisance. And Merlin would rather not have him reporting his presence here back to Arthur and the knights.

Dismounting quickly, Merlin looks up at Morgana from the ground. "You have to take my horse and get out of here so that you aren't seen," he whispers harshly. "If he notices me I'll be in big trouble."

"Relax, Merlin," she replies almost lazily. "Agravaine thinks that you are under my control. He's the one who helped me cart your deadweight into my hovel so that I could enchant you in the first place." Slyly, her eyes flick to his face, and she adds, "But, I suppose, anything is possible. Word may very well get back to Arthur that you are consorting with me rather than helping your very ill mother. Actually, this could prove to be very beneficial... For me, at least."

Hearing these last words is enough to make Merlin furious. He grabs his gelding's reins and steps closer to the horse's shoulder. "No, Morgana, you _will_ remove yourself and any traces of you from this area. You are _not_ going to get in the way of me fulfilling my destiny to protect and help Arthur become the greatest king Albion has ever known by having his puppet of an uncle report me to Camelot authorities. You know, I should just walk in there and kill that snake of a man where he stands."

He is speaking in a hushed tone, yet his words hold such a seriousness and power that he may as well be yelling. Morgana is actually quite rattled by it, but she covers it up by feigning nonchalance. "You may as well. It's not hard to find a decent spy anymore, for the right amount." She sneers at him, conveying that anything he can threaten her with is useless.

"Maybe I was wrong," he spits, "thinking that there was still a shred of good in you worth trying to save. Did being around your friends this past week do _nothing_ to change the way you feel?"

Morgana opens her mouth to explain, to say that she had only been ribbing him. He cuts her off before she can, expecting that she is going to deny them being her friends. "Don't even bother. I saw how much it affected you to be around the people you once cared for again, and I was stupid enough to think that your heart may have softened towards them. I thought-" _That you could return to us, to me._

Such turmoil crosses his face that Morgana is actually feeling guilty for egging him on.

He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter what I thought. The point is that I will go in there and I expect you to be long gone, else I _will_ kill him. I may kill him regardless. But if he is going to do something that will hurt Arthur in any way, his fate is sealed. As yours will be, because I _will not let any harm come to the king_." He drags in a deep breath before glaring at her with cold eyes. "Do you understand?"

Morgana returns his stare for a long moment, then wheels his horse around into the dense vegetation of the forest. Merlin strides down the path towards her home, ready to take care of this unwelcome guest.

* * *

Agravaine hastily jumps to his feet when he hears the door creak open. He had been lounging in an uncomfortable chair while waiting for Morgana to return. "My lady," he greets her.

Merlin doesn't even try to emulate Morgana, he simply speaks his mind. Which, truth be told, is what she's usually like these days. "What are you doing here?" he asks sharply.

The older man gives him a bewildered look. "You told me to inform you if there were any unexpected changes in the manservant's behaviour. I've been monitoring him closely this past week, and I haven't noticed anything different about him, save for some things Arthur has mentioned fleetingly. Something about being more disrespectful than usual. But overall, he hasn't been acting like he should have if you have control over his mind to make him want to kill Arthur." His face pales and he swallows, continuing cautiously. "I- I don't think your spell worked, I'm afraid..."

"Ah, yes. I meant to inform you earlier that I knew of this, but I've been away. Pity, isn't it?" Merlin snaps.

Agravaine shuffles closer to him, gently places a hand on his arm. "Morgana? Is everything alright? It seems there is something else bothering you. You can tell me what it is, you know."

Merlin glares at the man's hand on his arm, meets his gaze and sees something in his eyes that shouldn't be there. _Dear goddess, he's got feelings for her! The man's old enough to be her father!_ He is disgusted and rips his arm away, feeling a new rage surge in him that has nothing to do with Agravaine's betrayal of Arthur. Does the old man actually think he stands a chance with her? Merlin almost scoffs out loud, thinking of how Morgana has always been known to play men like this. It's almost sad, considering that this pathetic excuse of a man would be so easily manipulated by her charm. _Almost_.

"There is nothing to tell, other than that I wish for you to leave and not return."

Agravaine looks terribly confused at this. "But- I was only concerned about you, my lady. I just wanted to check on you, I hadn't heard any news from you in a while, I thought-"

"It doesn't matter what you thought!" Merlin practically yells. "I can take care of myself, can't you see that? Get out."

Agravaine backs away slowly, gives a small bow. He is obviously shaken. "A-as you wish. But know that should you need me-"

"Get. _Out."_ The king's uncle doesn't need to be told a third time. He spins around on his heel so fast, Merlin half expects he will trip over his ridiculous black cloak. Unfortunately he doesn't, but he hastens to his horse and within seconds Merlin can hear hoof beats pounding away from him.

* * *

Merlin stands at the top of the hill, watching off into the distance for a good ten minutes to ensure that Agravaine will not be returning. He finally calls out, "Morgana! You can come out now."

She emerges from the trees with his horse moments later. He knew she wouldn't be far, there is no way she would have let him kill her spy without a fight. Regardless of what she said earlier, he knows that a spy as effective as Agravaine _is_ , in fact, quite difficult to come by. The king only has one uncle, after all.

She hands over the reins to his horse. "Take him. I have my own to go fetch," she tells him.

Before she can walk away, though, Merlin has to ask her, "Do you feel anything for that man? Because I certainly got the impression that he has feelings for _you._ "

Morgana almost looks offended. "Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?"

"One that will use anyone to her advantage in any way that she can."

"I suppose I can't entirely disagree with that. But no, _I_ personally care very little for him," she sniffs. "He serves his purpose, and that is all."

Merlin's blood settles at hearing this. "Okay... Good."

That glint enters her eyes again. "Is that what set you off this time? You were jealous over my nonexistent feelings for Agravaine? Merlin, I'm seriously starting to think someone should go over your priorities with you. Unless, of course, what Gwen said earlier about you having feelings for me was true..."

"No. What set me off was your refusal to change and your continued efforts to bring about Arthur's downfall." He gives her a grave look that pierces her to her very soul. It's discomforting. "I don't want to have to choose between my friends again. I will protect Arthur until my dying breath, and if that puts us at odds, so be it. But truly, all of us mourned you when you left us, Morgana. We all loved you. We still miss you."

He pauses, and she narrows her eyes at him suspiciously."It doesn't have to be like this. We can find another way." His memories take him back in time to when he said those exact words to her, in the crypts underlying Camelot. She was so angry, so bitter back then that he had been immediately shot down. _"There is no other way,"_ she had said. Now, regardless of what he has thought about the woman he knew being gone forever, he clings desperately to his last flicker of hope that she will see differently this time around.

Morgana initially looks like she is about to backhand him, and he steels himself, preparing to have to lash back at her in defense. But the blow never comes.

Rather, her face softens and she looks down at the ground. "I used to think there was only one way for justice to be meted out. That was to take Camelot, eradicate the current monarchy, and free our kind. I thought I was alone." She lets out a rattling sigh. "But I have never felt more alone than I do now, because after revisiting my... friends... I remember what I gave up to chase my ideals. I hate it, being alone and despised, and loathing the world in return. Gaius wished for my safe return after this, and Gwen was actually _worried_ about me. Both of them... they should hate me.

"As much as I don't want to admit it... you're right. It _doesn't_ have to be like this. I don't _want_ it to be like this." Her eyes move to meet his now, and they are filled with a lost look of hopelessness that almost breaks his heart. "But I still don't see how there is any other way. I'm so far gone, Merlin... The things I've done are unforgivable. I'm not sure what would be worse, facing the consequences of the law for my actions, or having to live being haunted with the knowledge that I reveled in them."

Merlin reaches out to her, to gently take her hand, but thinks better of it. They are just barely on civil speaking terms, best not to push it. He offers her a small smile instead, which she returns. "We _will_ find another way," he repeats.

And she nods.

* * *

 **There you have it - hopefully worth the wait. If you have a minute to let me know your thoughts, it's most appreciated :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi everyone! I wanted to get this next chapter posted without too long of a wait, so here it is. Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

As much as their confrontation has left both young sorcerers feeling drained, they know they should be on their way. So Merlin and Morgana only take a short break, sitting in Morgana's hovel and sharing a hunk of bread from their rations.

Morgana has no food stored, so the only thing that she needs from here is her sword. She buckles it around her waist and is comforted to feel its weight at her side. Not that she actually _needs_ it, but it never hurts to have it with her, suggesting to any brigands that they are capable of defending themselves and worth leaving alone.

Before they leave, she chooses a fresh black dress and hands it to Merlin, instructing him to put it on.

"But I just changed into this thing this morning! That is not long enough to get it dirty!" he protests.

"Yes, but you've been wearing it nearly every day for the past two weeks. I happen to _like_ that dress, and I don't want you to wreck it by wearing it nonstop."

Merlin glances skeptically at the new one he holds in his hand. "I don't see any difference between them. And you made fun of _my_ lack of variety in clothing?"

"You're such a man. Of course there's a difference, you can see it in the fabric, this new one is far more plain, and..." She trails off upon seeing the blank look on Merlin's face. "Oh, never mind. Do you remember my wardrobe back in Camelot?"

"Um, yes. Why?"

"Seeing as I wasn't able to bring it with me, I've had to make do with what is easily accessible. I have more pressing things to think about, living alone in a hovel, than accumulating a wide variety of clothing. So," she waves her hands at him in a shooing motion, implying that he should hush and go get into the new dress, "stop grumbling and put it on."

"You just love making me feel awkward about this, don't you?"

With a cheeky grin, Morgana replies, "Of course! Now, get changed quickly, we have places to be and I still need to get my horse. Don't worry though, I won't look."

Merlin scoffs. "Big difference that makes."

She just laughs at him.

* * *

They exit the tiny hovel and return up the path to where Merlin's horse awaits. He glances around. "Where on earth do you keep this horse of yours, anyway? There's no barn here for it, and nowhere for its feed or tack."

She rolls her eyes. "How observant we are today. I've learned a few tricks of the trade- watch." And she strides up to a surprisingly lifelike granite statue of a horse that is partially obstructed by forest plants. Being dark grey, it blends right in with the misty surroundings of the woods. Morgana places her hand on its forehead, commands, " _Bebiede þe arisan cwicum!_ " Her eyes flash gold, and in an instant the statue awakes, snorting and shaking as it returns to life. Morgana gently takes its reins and leads it out of the foliage.

"See? I have my ways. I must admit, living out here has made me more resourceful than I ever thought I could be."

"But... don't you feel bad turning your horse into a statue every time after you ride it?"

"It's better than having her get tangled in the brush, or being attacked and eaten by some wild animal." Morgana strokes the mare's nose and looks up at her with affection. "Isn't it?" She swiftly mounts the sturdy grey horse. "Besides, it's not like she's stuck as a statue _all_ the time. I make sure that she gets plenty of exercise and food when she's awake."

As she speaks, Merlin looks for a rock to use as a mounting block so that he can climb on his horse while dressed in this ridiculous outfit. He finds one that is satisfactory, but still remains unable to mount easily. He almost throws himself off the other side of his gelding, who stands quietly but flicks his ears back in confusion at his rider's antics.

He awkwardly tries to right himself and grumbles as he does so. "That's it! When we stop for tonight I am changing back into my trousers _whether you like it or not_!"

"Oh are you? I thought that dressing while you're me made you feel uncomfortable?" She cackles at the dirty look he gives her. "You apparently haven't gotten over that yet."

"Ha! Let's just get on our way so that we can meet _him_ at a reasonable time, alright?" Now it is Morgana's turn to scowl at his evident delight in making her crazy wondering who exactly this 'him' is. The two of them continue bickering as they ride off to find an acceptable meeting place.

* * *

"As much as I love riding aimlessly in the forest for hours, Merlin, _when_ exactly do you think we'll find a suitable meeting location? Because, truth be told, I'd rather it happen before I die of old age."

"We're almost there, I think."

They are heading to the edge of the Darkling Woods. This is where they will meet Kilgharrah, far enough to be out of sight from Camelot and any other prying eyes. The only problem is that it is a fair journey to the edge of the forest, and Morgana is becoming impatient. She is about to cause a tree branch to sweep Merlin out of his saddle, all in good fun, of course, when he suddenly halts and tells her to dismount, that they need to tether the horses here and continue on foot. A strange request, but she complies.

Morgana and Merlin walk for another good fifteen minutes to finally reach their destination. A vast plain opens up before them, the sweeping grasslands a stark difference from the tangle of trees they have recently journeyed through. The sight is quite breathtaking, really. They stand at the top of a large hill that looks over the valley, sprinkled with clumps of trees and small hills. It goes on for some time, eventually turning into rugged hills before rising up to form a mountain range on the horizon which stretches to either side as far as the eye can see.

It's nice to be back out in the open air, out of the stifling walls of Camelot, even out of the forest that she now calls home. There is nothing here to cage her in, and she revels in it. They are quiet for some time, enjoying the view and the refreshing breeze.

"What now?" She turns her gaze from the landscape to Merlin, a questioning look on her face.

"Now? I call him. And then we wait. But I expect he'll be here shortly."

He throws his head back and roars in a deep voice, " _O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!"_

Needless to say, this is not what she's been expecting. The words he speaks, they are words of powerful magic, but nothing like she's ever heard before. They are, however, similar to the language of the Old Religion in some ways, and she is able to decipher enough to have a reasonably good guess at who, or rather _what_ , this mysterious 'he' is.

Morgana closes her eyes. "Did you just summon a _dragon_? You're a _dragonlord?_ "

These revelations just keep on coming. Exactly how many secrets does this man have that he has been lying about for years? Her eyes snap open and she stares icily at him. "Is there anything _else_ you would like to tell me while we are here? Because you seem to have kept an awful lot to yourself, and if there is anything else that is going to impact me in some way I would like to find out about it _now_."

It might be too much at the moment to tell her that he is destined to be the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth. After all, he is Emrys. But she doesn't know that, and telling her so may come as a challenge to her. For once, he will take Gaius' advice and refrain from making such a statement, because the last thing they need right now is for her to come unhinged and return to her maniacal quest for power. So he simply shakes his head, no.

"But, it does seem fair to warn you not to make any aggravating remarks to him." She looks at him with a mock offended expression, and he finishes. "Because he really doesn't like you, and I'd rather you not get burned to a crisp while you are in my body."


	23. Chapter 23

**I have been in the mood to edit this and to write more recently, so I've got another update earlier than I was expecting! Enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

It takes only minutes before the two of them hear the sound of great wings beating in the distance. A small golden shape appears on the horizon, and as it comes into focus the wing beats intensify.

Merlin sends Morgana a sideways glance. "This is why we had to leave the horses behind. I've learned from my own experiences that they don't particularly appreciate being in such close proximity to a giant, carnivorous reptile."

The Great Dragon alights on the ground in front of them. The wind stirred up from his descent is strong, and Morgana automatically lifts her arms to shield her face from the gusts. Merlin, on the other hand, has a huge grin on his face, as if he is greeting an old friend.

"It worked!" He laughs. "I wasn't sure if it would, considering I'm not exactly me right now, but it did! Ha!"

Kilgharrah has an exasperated look on his face. "Young warlock, it never ceases to amaze me how dense you can be. Of c _ourse_ you retain your powers while in a different physical form. As with your magic, your dragonlord abilities are bound to your soul. As long as you still possess that, you will always be able to call on me. Now, I assume you have questions about your current predicament."

"You knew this whole time?"

"Of course. I can see destinies, and have watched civilizations rise and fall. Do not think that this would have escaped my attention."

"Then why didn't you bother to help us sooner? You've never had a problem calling on me before, sometimes for even smaller things than this!"

"You never listen to me. If you did, you would not be in this situation now." Great golden eyes turn on Morgana, eyes that have seen many things, have been wizened over hundreds of years. "In the company of this _witch_." The last word is said with distaste. "I warned you that she was dangerous, that you should have nothing to do with her, but you refused to heed my advice!"

It suddenly becomes clear to Morgana who the influential figure Merlin had spoken of earlier is, the one who persuaded him not to help her when she was struggling with the discovery of her magic. _How dare this beast step in and interfere with her life! Who does he think he is?_

Ignoring Merlin's warning not to sass the dragon, she brazenly yells at him, "What did I ever do to you to make you decide that you had the right to impose your will on my life?"

The great golden eyes narrow. "Careful, witch! You do not know to whom you speak. I know more than you could ever begin to comprehend. For it was I who saw your destiny and what you would become. I was not mistaken."

"How _dare_ you!"

Kilgharrah lowers his head, snakes it closer so that he is eye to eye with her. It is disconcerting, considering that his head alone is the height of her body. "No. How dare _you_. You twist the sacred magic of the Old Religion to your own ambitions, corrupt it, defile it. High Priestess or not, were you not in the body of the dragonlord I would kill you on the spot."

The two of them stare each other down. Eventually the Great Dragon raises his head slowly, not breaking eye contact with her, so that he towers over her. "Be warned, witch. The next time we meet under normal circumstances, should you choose to continue on your path of destruction, you will not be so lucky."

Any ordinary person would cower in the face of such an imposing creature. Morgana, however, is even more furious with the beast than she was to begin with. Her eyes flash gold and she opens her mouth to retort, but Merlin, who is tensely waiting for the worst to break out between the two of them, intervenes. "Stop it, both of you! This isn't helping." He gives each of them a stern look before returning his focus to the dragon. "Kilgharrah, have you ever seen anything like this before? There must be a way to reverse this spell."

"Yes, luckily for you. Rare though it may be, I have witnessed it on several occasions. Having your consciousness switch physical hosts is an act of blood magic. Therefore, it will require an equally strong, if not more so, counter spell. But naturally, the counter spell also has to be an act of blood magic, and so the process _will_ be dangerous."

"Care to elaborate?"

The dragon settles down onto the hillside with a sigh. "Let's start at the beginning then, shall we?"

* * *

"Some four hundred years ago, there lived a sorceress. Her name was Agorannai, and she studied the ways of dark magic, not for her own personal gain, but because she was fascinated by it. Now, there was a sorcerer by the name of Albain who was always at odds with her and her practice from the time that they were both apprentices onward. He never believed that learning the dark arts was acceptable, regardless of the intent behind it. They both had potential for greatness if they would only stop fighting each other and work together. But as the two of them learned more about their respective crafts, the farther apart their viewpoints drifted, to the point that they finally declared themselves mortal enemies.

"Agorannai, living alone in a small castle, would occasionally have need to use her magic as a means of self defense. And for this she would use dark magic, even though it was not truly necessary. Over the years, she became drunk with the power of using these dark spells on her enemies, and her studies morphed from something of reverence into a quest for power.

"Albain, never having much respect for her from the beginning, was disgusted to learn of this. He set out on his own personal mission to put an end to her practices. What he didn't realize was that during this time, she had been collecting the blood spilled from various sorcerers and condensing it and the powers it possessed into a stone. Keep in mind that back then, the number of folk born with magic in their veins was far greater than it is today after the Purge, so the potency of magic in their blood was great. When her work was finally finished, she had the ultimate weapon: a ruby that would amplify the powers of blood magic tenfold, allowing her complete and utter control over anyone or anything she so desired.

"After the confrontation between Agorannai and Albain took place, they were both thought to have been destroyed. The truth of the matter was that their fighting had angered the Triple Goddess, who had expected two of her most powerful followers of that time to come together and do great things for the world. What truly happened that day was that their blood was also sacrificed by the Goddess to the ruby. Forcing them to forever work together to amplify the powers of other sorcerers, to cast blood magic, _or_ in some cases to undo its effects."

"So you're saying-."

Morgana interrupts Merlin, cutting off his question. "Then we have to _find_ the Ruby of Agorannai in order to change us back to our normal selves."

Kilgharrah nods gravely. "Correct, witch. But as I said earlier, blood magic can only be undone with a counter spell that is also of blood magic. The spell that you wrought on yourselves is one of the most powerful there is, and there would be almost no hope of you returning to your usual selves any time soon without the use of such an object as the Ruby of Agorannai to amplify the powers of the counter spell."

Merlin doesn't look convinced. "You mentioned that it would be dangerous. Care to define just _how_ dangerous this is going to be?"

"Well, Young Warlock, blood magic of any kind is unpredictable. Therefore, if you use the wrong spell, or mispronounce the correct one, at this magnitude you may end up doing anything from driving yourself mad to erasing your very existence from the universe."

"Oh, is that all? Wonderful."

"And," the dragon rumbles on, "there will be conditions that must be met in order for it to work properly. For the spell to work, you must be in a specific location. The birthplace of all magic."

"The Crystal Cave," Merlin utters. "That makes sense, if this is as big of a mess as you say it is. What else?"

"It may only be achieved on the eve of the equinox, when day and night, light and dark, are in complete balance with each other."

"That's about two weeks from now."

Morgana groans. "I'm going to be stuck like _this_ for two more weeks?" Merlin looks at her, offended. "Fine. But why the equinox?"

"Because, you are the dark to Merlin's light. He is the light to your dark. The balance of your magic has been upset, so naturally the day that light and dark are equal will be the only time that you two will be able to restore balance to yourselves."

 _Why does he speak in riddles, like this is the most ordinary thing in the world?_ But she simply grimaces and says, "Of course. And I'm sure you'll tell us that if we miss this window of opportunity, we'll be stuck like this forever."

"No. There are two equinoxes in a year, and there are many years to come. If you miss this one, you will simply have to wait for the next." The Great Dragon makes a face that looks suspiciously like a smirk to Morgana. "But I don't suppose you two will want to wait so long-"

" _No_ ," they both say in unison.

"I didn't think so. The final piece, of course, is the spell. Which will not be a problem for you because I will pass it on to you myself." Merlin nods, and the dragon seems to breathe over him, except it is not hot air that emerges from his mouth, but magic. And Merlin absorbs it all. When he finishes, the young man looks somewhat dizzy from the onslaught of knowledge, but gives a small grin to Morgana when she asks him if he is feeling alright. "Fine. Trust me, this is nothing compared to the first time. My magic has grown much stronger since."

Kilgharrah squints at the two of them, glancing back and forth from witch to warlock without saying a word. They are both starting to become uncomfortable under his inscrutable gaze, when he finally looks off into the distance, rumbling, "Interesting."

Frowning, Merlin asks him what exactly it is that he finds interesting. The dragon replies, "There has been a change in both of you. I sensed this change recently, but I didn't believe it... It is impossible for one to escape his destiny, but in extremely rare cases the course of his destiny may be altered." At their startled expressions, he continues, "It will not harm you or anyone you care about. But if what I suspect has occurred has truly come to pass, then, witch, it may be that the next time we cross paths I need not kill you after all. The Triple Goddess has her ways..."

Morgana looks perplexed, but Merlin gestures for her to stay quiet. When Kilgharrah is in a prophetic mood he begins to talk in riddles even more so than usual, and they really don't need any more confusion today.

"One more thing, Kilgharrah. Where exactly _is_ the Ruby of Agorannai located?"

The Great Dragon grins at the young dragonlord. "Why, I thought you'd never ask. You will find it under the tree, which lies shrouded in mist beyond the mountains." The giant wings begin to flap, and stir up the air.

"Wait! How is that an answer?" When Kilgharrah makes no sign of expanding upon his response, Merlin yells, "I _command_ you to tell me where the Ruby of Agorannai can be found!"

Kilgharrah laughs, a deep rumbling noise from deep in his throat. "Oh, but Merlin, I already have." And with that, he lifts himself gracefully into the air, and the beating of wings recedes into the distance.

Merlin huffs. "Bloody useless reptile."

* * *

 **I hope my mini story about the creation of the ruby of Agorannai wasn't too terribly cheesy, lol! But as a side note, the pronunciation of her name is Ag - or -ON - nay.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello, lovely readers! I've very much enjoyed reading your reactions to the meeting with Kilgharrah :) It sounds like that was a pretty major point for most of you, so I hope I can make the rest of the story live up to that (no pressure, right? LOL). Anyhoo, here is the next chapter, hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

 _It may be that the next time we cross paths I need not kill you after all._

These words keep replaying in Morgana's mind. She shouldn't be thinking about this, she should be focusing on finding the ruby, figuring out its location, not worrying about her supposed change in destiny. But she can't, because she has been so alone, and this means that maybe she won't have to be anymore.

"I wonder how it works," Merlin interrupts her thoughts. Her head snaps up at his words and she blinks at him.

"Hmm?"

"I wonder how the ruby's powers work. It sounds similar to the blood crystals those two thugs got ahold of last year for the tournament. They made it possible for them to take the appearance of anyone whose blood touched the stone. Because the ruby amplifies blood magic, I would assume that it will need the blood from both of us in order to reverse this. That's what you used to cast it in the first place, right?" She nods distractedly, and he frowns. "What's wrong? We know how to change back to normal now, isn't that what you want?"

"What? Of course that's what I want. It's just..." She sighs. "It's just that I've been thinking about what the dragon-"

"Kilgharrah."

"-About what _Kilgharrah_ said, of our destinies changing, and him not needing to kill me after all. The way he said it though... It was ominous. The Triple Goddess has her ways? Does that mean all of this is really just a manipulation of us on her part to force us to work together, like in the story of Agorannai?" Frowning, she shakes her head. "I'm sorry. This isn't important right now. I need to focus on our task."

"Don't apologize. And you're right, maybe it is a manipulation to make us work together." He shrugs. "But to be honest, it would be a nice change if we could both stop trying to kill each other and work towards a common goal."

She smirks half-heartedly. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Returning magic to Camelot? Peacefully," he adds quickly. "The two of us together, we could help Arthur, change his mind."

"If anything, I've turned him against it!" she blurts out, frustrated. Then, after a tense pause, for they both know she is right, she adds quietly, "Kilgharrah is the outside influence who told you not to help me with my magic, isn't he? He's the one who told you to kill me."

He glances at her in surprise. "How-"

"Oh, _please_ , Merlin. I'm not as dense as you are, and he made it extremely clear that he can't stand me. Besides, I know you're rubbish at taking orders, so I figured if, in fact, you _were_ told to do those things, it would have taken someone pretty intimidating to make you do them."

"Well-"

"And here I go again, off topic. Let's just focus on the ruby."

Merlin is silent for the next few minutes as they hike. "I wouldn't have let him kill you," he says quietly, almost mumbling so that she nearly misses it.

But she does hear him, and equally as quietly replies, "Thank you, Merlin."

They reach their horses, who are tethered in the woods, untie them, and begin leading them back towards the plains. Their mounts have carried them far this morning, and they deserve at least a small break. Plus, it truly is nice for them to be able to stretch their legs.

Merlin begins to ramble about which mountain range the Dragon was referencing. "I'm assuming the White Mountains, because those are just a short way off in the distance. But that almost seems like it would be too easy then, wouldn't it? And there are enough other mountains in the area, it could be one of them. It could be the Mountains of Isgaard. Or maybe they aren't even in Camelot, like the Feorre mountains in Essetir." However, he notices that Morgana is lost in her thoughts again and is paying no attention to his ponderings. Soon he falls quiet, joining her to brood in silence.

* * *

They skirt the edge of the valley as they ponder their meeting with the dragon. They are in no rush to make it to the White Mountains today, as they first have to determine if that truly is the mountain range which Kilgharrah was referencing. In a few hours the sun begins to set slowly in the distance, so they decide to make camp for the night in the midst of a few small, ragged hills sprinkled with trees.

Morgana goes off to gather firewood while Merlin tends to the horses. She doesn't have to go far, as the Darkling Woods continue to extend along the side of the valley for quite some distance. It brings back uncomfortable memories of the last time that she was on a trip with Merlin, for then, too, she was tasked with finding firewood in the forest. Which would have been fine had he not chosen that moment to confront her on her alliance with Morgause and her plan to lead him, Gwen, and Arthur into a trap. She felt no conflict then; without a doubt, she was wholly committed to her cause.

But now she is unsure, because she truly _has_ felt a change within herself over the past two weeks. It seems a shame to give up three years of work and not even have a real home to return to. Even if she does give up her quest for the crown, even if she repents for all she has done, she will never be allowed to return to Camelot and her old life. She will simply continue to be persecuted for being born with magic, and the thought frustrates her. At the same time, though, she knows deep down she won't be able to bring herself to harm her old friends again. So, once they are out of this mess, where will she go from there?

Morgana suddenly snaps back to reality as she realizes that she has lost track of time, that the sun is now almost completely gone. Chiding herself for her lack of focus, she scuttles back to the camp, only to crash head on into another figure striding along in the dim light.

" _Oof!_ "

She nearly drops the firewood as they rebound off each other. She takes a step to catch her balance, then narrows her eyes at the shadowy figure.

"Merlin? What are you doing here?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "You were gone a long time. It was getting dark and, well, I wanted to make sure you were okay. I was worried about you."

She fights the urge to smirk, seeing as she's been fending for herself, quite well, she might add, for over a year. _At least it's genuine worry this time, and not simply him asking out of duty._ So she nods. "I'm fine. Thank you."

Sensing her downcast mood, he makes an attempt to lighten it, so he jokes, "Like I said earlier, I really hope you don't bruise easy. Otherwise you are going to have so many by the time that we switch back, and you're the one who's caused most of them."

She's not in the mood to laugh, but she can't help that the corners of her lips quirk up in a half smile.

* * *

The horses are tethered close by, and the two mages resist the urge to doze off after their meal next to the fire. Merlin is slowly tipping over sideways, and she keeps whacking his arm to wake him up. She pauses, looks at her hand, then back to him. _He's right, I_ am _going to be covered in bruises at this rate_. So she ceases hitting him (it's not working anyway) and moves to the next on her list of ways to make him wake up. She waits for him to resume slumping over, and when his eyes flutter shut she grabs his shoulders and shakes him madly, yelling, "ARTHUR'S IN DANGER!"

He's up in a flash, disoriented but trying to find this unknown threat. He whirls around like a madman. " _NO_! What? Where?"

His gaze eventually settles on her as she cackles, holding her stomach. "You really think this is funny? Morgana, this is starting to get old."

"Oh, Merlin, it'll never get old. Not for me, at least." She wipes tears from her eyes. "But, seeing as you're awake now, we may as well continue trying to figure out that riddle."

He sighs, and resumes his sitting position on his sleeping roll. He is immediately lost in his thoughts, so is irritated when she snorts out a laugh and interrupts his thinking.

Merlin glares at her. "Honestly? You are _still_ going on about that? Morgana-"

" _Relax,_ Merlin. Don't take everything so seriously all the time."

"That's ironic, coming from you. Miss 'I'm-going-to-stop-at-nothing-to-take-over-Ca-'"

She interrupts him, "What I was _going_ to say, is that I know where the ruby is." He quirks his eyebrow at her, doing a fabulous impersonation of Gaius. "It's so simple, I can't believe it took us this long to solve it. What place do we know of, which lies beyond the mountains, the White Mountains I might add, which is shrouded in mist and has a prominent tree growing at its heart? The _Isle of the Blessed_."

His shoulders droop as he smacks his palm to his forehead in disbelief. "And somehow I didn't figure this out earlier?" But he begins laughing, too.

They meet each other's eyes, grinning madly. Then realize that the elation of solving this first step of their problem, together, is making them each feel more than just... happy. The mood quickly shifts to something awkward, because these feelings are made rather tricky by the fact that they are still trapped in the wrong bodies. So with the agreement that they will head there tomorrow and hastily muttered good nights, the two of them curl up on their respective rolls.

Trying, and failing, not to think about their emotions and how they may suddenly face many more obstacles in the near future, Merlin and Morgana eventually manage to fall asleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**As per usual at this time of year, school is back in and that means I'm probably not going to be on here as much as I have been recently. Especially because most of the chapters from hereon in are only partially blocked out. I've got the framework down for, ooh, about the next 7 chapters, but I'm expecting it'll take at least 10 to wrap this story up. I'm sorry in advance for making you wait so long for the ending, and thank you all for following so patiently! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter, and I am hoping I'll be able to get back on here and writing sooner than anticipated :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

"I miss the old, enchanted little boat that used to sit here, willing to ferry you across the lake _without_ asking for payment." Merlin gripes at the old cloaked man, who waits expectantly with his palm outstretched. "This is robbery! A gold coin to take a decrepit boat to a wyvern infested island."

The two of them spent the last day trekking through the valley and the White Mountains to reach this shore, where they knew the ferryman and the boat would be waiting for them, to lead them to the Isle of the Blessed. But even with this knowledge, it is still rather irksome to have to pay a mysterious man for a ride across.

Morgana rolls her eyes. "Get out of the way, Merlin." She steps forward with the payment, pressing it into the man's hand. "You know where we wish to go," she tells him cryptically. He nods and silently gestures for the two of them to board the small rowboat.

Once the two sorcerers are settled in, the ferryman climbs on. The boat immediately departs from shore, needing no push from physical oars. The cloaked man is silent for a time, then turns to examine his passengers. "I remember you. Both of you. You who came with the wounded woman, to tear the veil. And you, who came with the prince to repair it." He scrutinizes the two of them, narrowing his eyes. "What an interesting pair. Yet, not all is as it seems with you, hmm." A statement, not a question.

Merlin growls in the back of his throat, while Morgana snaps, "I don't believe I paid you to ask questions."

The old man bows his head ever so slightly, resumes his position facing the direction in which they are traveling. The fog is thick, now. They can barely see past the edge of the boat. An eerie silence is cast over them as it slowly cuts through the waters. But they refuse to break it, to discuss any of this in front of the ferryman, who seems to have somehow been able to perceive that something is off with the two of them. Odds are he is harmless, but who knows, truly, who is on your side and who isn't. The two of them know it better than anyone.

Minutes crawl by, seeming like hours. Not a word has been spoken. Morgana is beginning to feel restless, she can sense that the Isle is coming up, they are getting closer. It is the Heart of the Old Religion, it was her home, the center of all she has become. And, there are... other emotional connections she has to the Isle, that she does not want to face right now.

Merlin catches a repetitive motion out of the corner of his eye, glances over to see Morgana bouncing her leg up and down in agitation. "What's wrong?"

She doesn't even spare him a look. Only shakes her head. _Not now._ He nods in understanding, even though she can't see it.

Abruptly, the mist thins and the towers of the Isle are looming over them. Even though Merlin and Morgana have been here numerous times, they can't help but gape up in awe of the ancient beauty of the place. But the majesty of the moment is quickly killed when they hear a reptilian cry and see a dark shape winging past one of the spires.

Soon the little boat pulls up alongside the shore, coming to an automatic stop. The cloaked ferryman turns and nods slowly at his, indicating that they are to disembark the vessel. The two sorcerers do so, and watch the small boat and its mysterious ferry master retreat into the distance, returning to the mist.

A screech splits through the air, and they look around warily. So far, nothing, but it likely won't stay this way for long.

Morgana growls, "Let's go get this over with." And she marches toward the ruined castle, with a somewhat confused Merlin following close behind.

* * *

They reach the altar room without incident. The vast area is lit faintly by the fading light of the sun shining through the mist. It has an eerie quality as the towering spires loom over them, casting long shadows which stretch across the ground.

Morgana stops suddenly, takes a step backward and pulls in a sharp breath through her teeth.

"What's wrong?" he asks worriedly. Her face is contorted with sadness, anger, confusion. She is in turmoil about s _omething_ , and he is becoming genuinely concerned about her. "You can tell me," he adds quietly. "I promise I'll be there for you, this time."

Her voice drops low as she speaks, her eyes flicking down to the ground. "This is the last place I saw my sister. She wanted me to sacrifice her life so that we could tear open the Veil, unleash the Dorocha on Camelot." She gives a quiet, harsh laugh. "I didn't want to. But she was in so much pain, and she wanted so badly for me to achieve what we had set out to do, take over Camelot and bring back magic. So I agreed." She bows her head away from him, but with that motion he notices the sheen of tears over her eyes. "I didn't know that she had lied to me. I thought she was always on my side, and she was, in a way, but she used me, Merlin, and I don't know what to feel anymore. But I miss her, because she was my sister and she cared for me, and I cared for her. We went through a lot together. And now I feel like I'm betraying her, by abandoning our cause..."

Her voice trails off, and Merlin remains silent. "I know it's silly," her voice is barely above a whisper now, "and you probably hate me for feeling that way, but-"

"Morgana, I wouldn't... Could never hate you, especially over someone so dear to your heart," he interrupts.

Her head snaps up, and she blinks at him, startled. "But... I don't understand. You hated me before all this happened, did you not?"

"That wasn't you. Not really. I hated what you were _doing_ , what you had become. Not _you._ Never you." He gently places a hand on her shoulder and she cracks the faintest of smiles. "And you're not betraying your sister. Does giving up your quest to take over the throne feel right to you? Does letting love and friendship back into your life feel right?"

She hesitates, then nods in affirmation. "It does now. It's just... I am responsible for her death, and giving everything up now is... is..." She's not entirely sure what it is. Wrong, maybe, but deep down she knows it isn't. "I used to think that, regardless, you had to do whatever you thought to be right and damn the consequences. And I thought that, back then, what I was doing _was_ right." Her face betrays the shame she feels at turning a blind eye to the consequences of her actions. "But I know better now. Everything has changed. There are better ways to achieve what I was trying to accomplish."

He nods. "And that is exactly why you aren't betraying your sister, because you are not doing this out of malice but out of the goodness that you have rediscovered in your heart."

Turning her head to look at him better, she playfully narrows her eyes at him and smirks. "When did you suddenly change from a goofy servant to someone who could speak so wisely?"

"Well, you know, this soul exchange business is very disorienting. I'm sure it won't last."

"I have no doubt. After all, then Arthur would know for sure that something is wrong with you."

"Gee, thanks."

Chuckling softly, she shifts her gaze from Merlin to one of the corridors leading to other rooms of the old castle. "I think we should move along for the night. It's getting late and personally, I'd prefer to have a roof over my head where the wyverns are less likely to get us."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about them. They won't be getting us any time soon."

Confusion crosses her face, and she gives him a questioning glance. He grins. "Dragonlord, remember?"

Her mouth forms an 'o' shape and she nods. "I didn't realize that applied to wyverns as well. That's convenient. You know, Merlin, maybe I should keep you around after all."

She means it as a joke, but she realizes as the words leave her lips that it sounds like she's either implying something romantic or like she's returned to her dark ways and is going to kidnap him, and she feels her face heat slightly. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she can see that his cheeks have coloured somewhat, as well, and he is staring at his feet instead of sending her the anticipated startled look. It seems that he took it as the former option.

They make their way to the corridor in silence, following it to the end where they enter a small room, which, after a quick once over, seems like it should work nicely as their temporary sleeping area. Merlin dutifully sets out the sleeping rolls, out of habit, she supposes. She starts a fire and whispers a small enchantment to keep it burning. At this point, there will be no problem of the spell sapping her energy, she is more than strong enough to maintain something this simple overnight.

As she pulls some bread and dried meat out of her pack, Merlin comes over and joins her next to the fire. She hands him a piece, and they decide over their meal that first thing tomorrow morning they will go to the center of the Isle, the location of the Rowan Tree.

"I hope this will be somewhat easier than all the rest of the _adventures_ we've gone through, trying to reverse this," Merlin yawns into the back of his hand, climbing onto his bed roll.

Morgana snorts. "With our luck? We'll be stuck here for a week before we find anything."

"Such a positive outlook."

"It's a hard habit to break, after spending a year alone in a hovel with too many people to keep track of out to kill you."

"Good _night_ , Morgana."

She stretches before lying down and curling up on her bed roll. "Good night, Merlin."


	26. Chapter 26

**Hi guys! I'm actually ahead of schedule for once with my school work, so here is an update. I've missed writing, so this was a nice reprieve for me. Hope you enjoy it :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

The Isle is in its perpetual state of mistiness the next morning, the colour seemingly leached out of everything, even each other, as Merlin and Morgana proceed to the Rowan Tree. The only thing seemingly unaffected, in fact, is the glowing blood red of the wyverns' eyes as they lazily circle overhead or perch on the crumbling stone walls. Their presence wouldn't be a problem, if it weren't for the fact that they seemed as though they were always _watching_ the two humans below.

Merlin glances up at them warily. "I don't like this..." he mutters. "They're following us, but not attacking. That's very unusual for wyverns."

"What happened to, 'Don't worry, I'm a Dragonlord'?" Morgana keeps her eyes on the path ahead without wavering, she is on a mission and nothing is going to interfere with her reaching her destination. "Maybe they know who you are, so they won't try to kill you."

"I doubt it, that didn't stop them last time. I had to order them away specifically before they would let us be." He frowns and kicks a stone lying in front of him. It clatters off to the side.

"If any of them do get the dull-witted idea that they can attack us, I'll blast it with a fire ball. We'll be fine."

He quirks a half smile at her, but it quickly drops off his face as he returns to frowning at the ground.

They continue on in the enveloping quiet of the Isle, Morgana determined and Merlin brooding. He glares at the ground, continuing to kick pebbles out of his path (even their clattering sound seems to be muted), until Morgana makes a sound of awe in the back of her throat, bringing him back to the present.

They've entered a circular courtyard, a lush carpet of grass beneath their feet. Though its green is washed out and matches the dull grey of the rest of the island, the tree that stands at its center is another story entirely. The bark of the trunk is a rich brown, and as the height of the tree stretches up to the sky slender branches curl out, reaching for the meager sun beams that filter through the fog. They are covered in emerald leaves shimmering with dew.

He takes in a deep breath at the sight, the tree truly is magnificent. Morgana places her hand reverently against the trunk, inclining her head.

"The heart of the Isle's magic..." she breathes. "The symbol of the Old Religion." She turns to Merlin with a new light in her eyes, seemingly refreshed by being in the Rowan's presence. "Let's begin. This shouldn't take long."

* * *

Ironically, Morgana is made to eat her words as she finds herself cursing the bloody tree, her reverence having morphed into utter fury and frustration. Because they have been trying to make the tree reveal the ruby to them for the past _three hours,_ and what do they have to show for it? Absolutely nothing. They have tried practically every kind of summoning spell they know of, have begun taking turns making up their own in an attempt to find the damn thing. Nothing. Not a flash, sound, movement, _nothing_. The Rowan remains as impassive as ever.

"If this tree wasn't sacred I would have burnt the thing down by now," she growls. "It should at the very least respond to _me_ in some way. It's always been revered by the High Priestesses of the Old Religion and has been the symbol of the Blood Guard since it was founded! This doesn't make any sense."

"I told you that we should try digging for it."

"And I already told _you_ that there is no way the tree would stand for that. But please, if you're so determined that you will find the ruby by digging it up from underneath a magical tree, be my guest and try!"

With an unimpressed glance, Merlin orders the soil at the base of the tree to move away. As it responds, he raises one eyebrow at her, thinking he was right.

Soon enough, however, the Rowan becomes tired of his meddling and an unseen force sends him flying back into the grass. Morgana stands there with her arms crossed, trying (and failing) not to look amused at his being beat up by a tree.

Merlin staggers back over to it, slumping against it indelicately and sliding down its trunk to land on the ground by its roots. He wipes his brow with his sleeve and glances up towards the sky.

"Damn it. Morgana..."

"Need I say, 'I told you so?'"

He shakes his head. "The wyverns are gathering. There are so many more of them."

Morgana follows his gaze, and her eyes widen as she takes in the number of wyverns that are perched on the walls surrounding the courtyard or flying overhead. The two sorcerers knew they were being followed, but hadn't paid them much attention while they were trying to figure out the puzzle of attaining the ruby. Now the number of wyverns that had been present when they first arrived at the Center of the Isle has tripled, quadrupled, maybe. All eyes are on them, they are like granite statues, the ones that are perched. Not a muscle moves.

Morgana's eyes shift back to Merlin's horror stricken face. He meets her gaze and slowly shakes his head. "I can't... I don't know if I'll be able to hold back that many of them at once. At least some will have to obey me, but if they attack together..."

"We'll be good as dead," she finishes. His head droops in defeat, and she frowns back up at their audience. "It's like they are guarding the tree. Or what's underneath it."

"I think that's exactly what they're doing."

Something about this terrifying and seemingly hopeless situation makes an insane laugh bubble in her throat. Merlin looks at her as if she's come unhinged, but it is with complete seriousness that she says, "I certainly hope you'll be ready to fight for your life when the time comes."

* * *

Morgana has left him sitting in the courtyard to ponder the situation. She's too frustrated to sit still, so is wandering around the island searching for any clues as to how to extract the ruby from the Rowan. Merlin leans against the trunk of the tree, exhausted after pummeling it with spells for three solid hours, closes his eyes, and rubs his temples. _What haven't we tried?_

Other than the summoning spells, they'd searched the tree top to bottom beforehand, looking for anything that might indicate the need for a key, an offering, or _something_. He makes a fist, slams it on the rough bark several times out of sheer frustration, and then lastly smacks the flat of his hand against the trunk for good measure. Letting out a bone rattling sigh, he allows his hand to slide down the side of the tree.

He inhales sharply as his hand runs over something... pointed? Furrowing his brow in concentration he shifts so that he is facing the Rowan and peers closely at the bark, the location where his hand was just moments ago. Sure enough, there _is_ something rather sharp there. A small triangle set in the middle of a familiar symbol, the triskelion. Its outline is clearly engraved in the wood. Merlin shakes his head and blinks, he must be seeing things, but, no, when he reopens his eyes it's still there. It can't be any bigger than the palm of his hand, and it _definitely_ wasn't there before. One of the summoning spells must have called it to the surface.

He runs his hands over his face in disbelief, grinning, and lets out a whoop of triumph. He remembers when Julius Borden approached him for his help, the combined pieces of the triskelion formed a key, the key with which he used to retrieve Aithusa's egg. This must be similar, the requirement must be a key! It has to be on the island somewhere, he has to tell Morgana about this.

Scrambling to his feet, he rushes to the archway through which they had entered, only to collide head on with the sorceress, who comes running through the entrance at the same time as he tries to exit. They are both knocked backwards and air rushes from his lungs as he hits the ground, luckily for him covered in a soft blanket of grass. Morgana, however, is not so fortunate, and lands against the stone of the castle floor. He squeezes his eyes shut as the dizziness passes, and clambers back into a standing position. Noticing Morgana still hasn't moved, he scurries to her side to help her up. "Morgana? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to run into you! Are you alright?"

With his help, she slowly climbs back to her feet. Wincing and rubbing the back of her head, she grumbles, "You'd better have a good reason for barreling around the corner like that."

"Well, I found- Wait, why were _you_ running around the corner?"

She lets out an exasperated sigh. "Because I heard a certain idiot yell something out and I thought he might be in trouble!"

Merlin is genuinely touched by her concern. "Really? You were worried about me?"

Scoffing, she replies, "You're in _my_ body right now, so yes, if something bad was happening to you that would be a little troublesome for me, wouldn't it?"

Flashing her a cheeky smirk, he jokes, "Of course, can't have anyone think you might _like_ me now, can we? That I might be worth, you know, keeping around." He represses a smile as she blushes and opens her mouth to retort, then snaps it shut again. "But I figured it out!" And he proceeds to excitedly tell her what he discovered while she was gone. When he finishes, he beams at her, expectantly waiting for her reply.

"All I got from that was fist, tree bark, and Aithusa. What on earth is an Aithusa?"

"Oh, hah. I'm sorry." That explains the confused look on her face after he finished. So he leads her over to the Rowan, relays his findings to her again, speaking at a normal pace this time, and she gives him a relieved smile.

"All we need is a key? Oh, thank the Goddess, I was starting to worry that the tree would require a blood sacrifice in order for us to get the ruby."

"Exactly! You didn't happen to see anything that could be the key while you were gone, did you?"

Biting her bottom lip, she shakes her head no. But he is in too good of a mood for it to bother him much. "That's fine. We'll find it! There can't be that many things on this island that are the right size and shape to be the key."


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello folks! Back with the next chapter, for some reason this one felt long to type out but it's not actually any longer than most of the others... Perhaps there is more dialogue to make it feel that way? I'm not sure, but I hope you enjoy it! If you have a chance to let me know what you think, a review is highly appreciated!**

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

As fate would have it, there _are_ , in fact, quite a lot of objects on the Isle of the Blessed that are of the right size and shape to be the key. Two days of searching has made them both feel edgy, or perhaps that was due to the wyverns continuously circling overhead.

Morgana practically growls as she sorts through a chest to no avail. "Merlin, next time you decide to go on one of your 'Everything is going to end perfectly, look on the bright side of things' speeches-"

He cuts her off with a dramatic sigh. "Shut up?"

"Yes. Or I will cut your tongue out." A smug expression plays across her face. " _This_ is why I like to maintain my pessimistic outlook."

He pulls a face. "Well I'm sorry, I didn't expect to find so many small triskelions all over the bloody island!"

"Ha! It's one of the symbols of the old religion and you didn't think the Isle of the Blessed would have many objects of that shape?"

He grumbles at her under his breath and they continue searching. There's a surprising amount of old chests and drawers hidden around the island, as it used to house the high priestesses. Now that the place is abandoned and crumbling it makes them much harder to find. Today so far they've opened four, and they have been packed full of artifacts. No luck on finding the key yet, though - any triskelion they have found so far has been either too big, too small, or too ornate.

Morgana ruffles through the current chest they have open, making frustrated noises as she keeps pulling out fascinating but useless relics. Merlin stands to stretch his legs, crouching for so long as they have been sorting has made them cramp up. He sighs and looks around the large room they are situated in. Several marble pedestals ring its perimeter, three of them supporting statues of the Goddess, one for each of her forms.

He lazily wanders towards them to inspect them more closely. It doesn't look like they'll be finding the key any time soon, anyways, so it couldn't hurt to take a short break.

The three statues stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the place. They are pristine while most everything else is in disrepair. Probably some kind of preservation charm...

Noticing something slightly different about one of the statues, Merlin narrows his eyes and approaches it. The other two blend seamlessly into their pedestals, as though they were carved of the same stone or later attached to them with magic. This one, though, it has a clear seam at its base that seems to indicate it can be moved.

"Morgana?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you come look at this?"

She sighs, but raises herself from her task and trudges over to him. "What is it?"

"What do you think the chances are that something would be hidden under one of these statues?"

She quirks an eyebrow at him and crosses her arms. "Pretty slim. But it _is_ the Isle of the Blessed, and priestesses were known for their ability to hide and guard important relics in plain sight." She smirks. "I should know."

Without a word, Merlin reaches for the statue to lift it. Or attempt to. It's heavy, that's for certain, and it's not going to budge easily.

"Here."

Morgana's hands join his, and she whispers a short incantation to help them. The statue creaks and groans as they disrupt it from its resting area, but it does come away easily after that. They carefully support it on the edge of the pedestal, and peer into the shallow indentation that it formerly sat in.

The sorceress huffs in frustration. "There's nothing here."

"Wait a minute," Merlin mutters, reaching forward. Though there are no openings or hollows indicating a hiding place for the triskelion, there is a tiny bump on the otherwise spotless marble. Perhaps...?

"Ouch!" Merlin hisses and pulls his hand back, blood dripping from his finger. "That thing is sharp! Blasted statues. You were right, Morgana. No triskelion here. Damn it!"

"Um, Merlin? I think that thing is meant to cut you. Look at it now."

The blood from Merlin's hand has seeped into four nearly invisible grooves, creating an outline rectangular in shape. There's a tiny trapdoor carved into the smooth marble, designed to be hidden under the figure. They exchange glances, Morgana's eyes now burning with curiosity and Merlin's with disbelief. Removing the small lid reveals-

" _Half_ of a triskelion. The bloody key that we are searching for doesn't even have the decency to be in one piece?" It matches what they are looking for perfectly, no bigger than the size of Merlin's palm. He holds it up for Morgana to see. "This is all that we get after all that! There's got to be another piece somewhere."

"Perhaps, since we are looking for the ruby containing the blood of two sorcerers, it requires some from me as well to find the whole." She draws her finger quickly across the blade-like protrusion, allowing the blood from her finger to drip onto the pedestal. Nothing changes, and Morgana curses.

"Of course it can't be this simple."

They replace the statue, frustrated. Merlin asks, "Morgana, is there anywhere else on this island that has statues similar to this? Anywhere at all?"

Given the short while she had been here with her sister, she had not been able to learn as much about the Isle as she would have liked. She was only able to map out a very basic layout of the ruins in her mind. But there is another similar room she remembers, on the other side of the Isle...

"I think this was a prayer room at one point, and I remember seeing something similar along the East side of the castle."

Her eyes light up as she looks at Merlin.

"Let's go."

* * *

The wyverns continue their vigilant watch on the two sorcerers as they hasten across the ruins. Merlin and Morgana can see them flying overhead through gaps and cracks in the stone walls, and try to ignore the sense of unease that they feel at the winged reptiles' presence.

"Here."

There is a small room off to the side of the East wing, which could easily be overlooked due to the pile of rubble blocking the entrance. The only sign of something worthwhile being inside is the stark contrast of the white marble statue against the backdrop of ashen grey.

One short spell later, the rubble is mostly cleared and the two make their way into the room. Sure enough, three statues representing the forms of the Triple Goddess, nearly identical to the last, adorn the chamber, spread in a semicircle formation.

They quickly pick out the statue with the seam running around its base, and with the help of magic easily lift it from the pedestal.

"The barb is broken off."

Looking hard enough, they can see the faint outline of the trapdoor, but only a blunt stub remains where the point had once been.

"It's good that I always come prepared, then."

Morgana pulls a dagger from her belt. Holding her left hand over the pedestal, she pricks a finger and squeezes it, ensuring several drops of blood make their way into the indentation. A minute passes, and she tentatively lifts the lid.

"Thank the Goddess," she sighs.

The second half of the triskelion is sitting right where they had hoped for it to be. She gingerly lifts it from the indentation in the pedestal, marveling at its intricacy before passing it on to Merlin. He brings the first piece they had found up to meet the second, and with a tiny click they lock together to form the completed key.

At that exact moment, the wyverns hovering above the ruins begin screeching. Merlin and Morgana instinctively move into defensive positions, though all that can be heard is the rush of flapping wings from outside. The sound dies down almost as quickly as it began, the eerie silence filling the two sorcerers with a sense of dread.

Morgana looks over at Merlin, face drawn tight with nerves. "I think _that_ just confirmed that this is the correct key."

"Yeah. And it's the perfect size, design, everything." Merlin tries to smile at her, but the muscles in his face refuse to do more than grimace. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to that sound, or the knowledge that they are stalking us, dragonlord or not."

They silently replace the statue on its pedestal, leaving no trace of anything ever having been moved. Glancing warily upwards, even though the wyverns are out of sight, Merlin continues. "I suppose all that's left is to see if it actually works. Shall we?"

Morgana swallows hard and nods.

"Be on your guard."

* * *

Even with the dense mist overhanging the Isle, it is bright outside when they walk back into the courtyard. Perhaps even more so because the sun reflects off of the fog, glaring into their faces. Regardless, it is a drastic change to the darkness they have been in, inside the ruins, for the past two days. Morgana lifts a hand to shield her eyes and Merlin squints, his gaze circling the courtyard. At least twenty wyverns are sitting perched on the walls; another fifteen or so circle overhead. Who knows what else is lurking out of sight in the mist.

"Would you like to do the honours, or should I?" Merlin holds the triskelion out between them, and it glints in the dull light.

Quietly, Morgana murmurs, "You do it. It was you who found the keyhole, and you who deciphered what we needed. I'll stand guard."

Merlin nods, and with steely determination they make their way to the Rowan. There is no going back now, and truly they have no other choice unless they are to remain this way for the rest of their lives. Running his hand over the rough bark, he soon finds the keyhole, and with a quick glance and nod of affirmation to Morgana, he inserts the triskelion into its place.

They wait, tensed, for the scaly wings to rain down upon them, or for the tree to move, or something. But nothing happens.

Morgana slumps. "It didn't work."

"Just... wait, for a moment."

The two stand in what seems like unending silence, when finally a rustling noise comes from the tree. It grows louder as the roots burst through the ground and begin clearing away the earth obstructing the treasure. A whole knot of tree roots is revealed in the hole, and as Merlin and Morgana peer into it the tree slowly begins to unwind itself. A red, pulsing glow can be seen, and is as the last of the roots peel away it is revealed to indeed be the Ruby of Agorannai .

"Oh my," the sorceress breathes upon seeing the ruby. She had seen many a fine jewel in her father's household, and even more so during her years as Uther's ward. But _never_ had she set eyes on something so naturally stunning, something practically radiating power.

Merlin notices the look of awe on her face and nudges her. "Go ahead. It's my turn to stand watch."

She nods, and crouches to reverently pick up the gem from its resting place. She pulls a kerchief from her pocket to wrap it and prevent it from being damaged, though whether a magical artifact of this strength could be damaged by anything less than a dragon is a question in and of itself. She hands it to Merlin, who tucks it away safely in his pack.

"I suppose that's it. And now..."

"And now, we make our way to the Valley of the Fallen Kings and wait for the arrival of the Equinox," Merlin finishes. He steps towards the doorway leading into the ruined castle.

And that is when the wyverns attack.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hi there! I haven't posted in a couple months (I am a jerk for that, and I apologize), so a very belated happy New Year to you all and hope 2017 is treating you well!**

 **This chapter feels a bit on the short side to me, but after reading it through several times I think that is the best choice to keep the story flowing without getting hung up on unnecessarily dragging it out. Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoy it! As per usual, thank you for your patience, follows, and reviews - and if you have an extra moment, please let me know what you think ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

The wyverns descend upon the two sorcerers in a rush of wings with unimaginable fury. Immediately, Merlin knows that any order he issues will be ignored by the vast majority of the reptiles. Their best chance of survival is to take shelter in the ruins, where, if any of beasts should follow, him and Morgana will have the upper hand due to the structure of the old castle.

" _RUN!_ " he bellows.

Morgana bolts for the archway, Merlin right on her heels. They are close, so close, but protecting the sacred treasures of the Isle is the wyverns' duty. Two swoop down to land in front of the crumbling archway, effectively blocking the only exit from the courtyard. The two sorcerers are forced to backtrack as the beasts advance on them.

The terror that Morgana had felt previously has all but vanished, now replaced by a far more familiar emotion: rage. Words form on her lips and a fireball springs to life above her palm, which she hurls at the wyverns. They are fast, however, and they manage to dodge the attack. She snarls, readying the next one, but Merlin steps in front of her and blocks her, shaking his head as a signal for her to wait.

He can't see the fury on her face, but hears it in her voice as she yells, "I'll be damned if I let these creatures kill me like this!"

Merlin doesn't have time to reply, he is barely able to holler a command at the wyverns blocking their path before they jump on them. They screech at him in their bloodthirsty craze, and, albeit reluctantly, take flight away into the mist. The sorcerers' hope of escape is quickly dashed though when another two quickly take their place, and the attacks from those flying overhead are coming closer and closer, becoming more than simple threats.

"Damn it! It's no good!" Without taking his eyes off the wyverns, he yells over his shoulder, "Morgana, we have to fight them! I can't hold them off!"

"With pleasure," she growls. Morgana allows her magic to build inside her until she has two good-sized fireballs hovering over each hand. Unleashing a furious cry, she sends them hurtling towards the two closest beasts. One clips the first on its wing, causing it to lose its balance and crash into a stone wall. But they are fast and intelligent creatures; the second one wheels out of the way just in time, screeching an insult at her.

Gritting her teeth, she reaches for the dagger she carries at her hip. Her eyes flash golden, and the knife goes flying towards the wyvern, embedding itself in its side. _Damn_. Not close enough to the chest to kill it, but if its shriek of pain is anything to go by it will not be bothering them again. With a jerk of her chin she summons the dagger back into her grasp, whirling to find her next opponent.

She moves so that she is back to back with Merlin, who is continuing to shout orders at the wyverns to leave them. A quick glance downwards reminds her that he has no weapons on him. Thankfully, she had had the foresight to bring her sword along for extra protection.

"Merlin! Take this!" She hastily draws the sword from its sheath, passing it to the sorcerer behind her.

He takes it, nodding in gratitude. "Just try not to kill too many so as to leave the Isle defenseless!"

Morgana resists the urge to roll her eyes at him, _worrying_ about the bloody wyverns while the damned things are furiously trying to rip them apart. "How about I kill as many as it takes to keep _them_ from killing _us_?"

" _Morgana_!"

"Fine!" Apparently he takes his role as dragonlord very seriously (excessively, in her opinion). "Just don't get yourself, and _me_ , killed by trying to play nice!" She darts to the side, having noticed one of the grey reptiles slipping through the ranks towards them. It gets blasted with a fireball, though is not deterred. She continues to pummel it mercilessly, but this one will not leave. Rather, it circles closer.

"Merlin!"

He turns to see the charred wyvern coming in for the attack and switches place with Morgana. Merlin roars an order at the beast, while she takes care of the others who are baring their claws above them. A fireball to the face causes one to rush off, while a dagger to the forearm causes another to fly for cover. The resistant one flies over top of them with an angry screech, so close she feels her hair move in the wind it creates. But it is finally leaving, too. Merlin was able to order it away.

Their eyes meet, and wordlessly they agree that this is going to be a long fight. A couple of those who Morgana had wounded with her fire are back, the charred skin in plain view. Fine then, she'll keep going after them until Merlin is able to order them away for good. She sees him, now wielding her sword, slashing at a wyvern out of the corner of her eye whilst bellowing an enchantment.

She smirks. _Good_. He's taking the initiative to fight back and do more than try to command the creatures to leave. With renewed energy, she begins firing off attacks at the next round of wyverns.

They are going to need all the help from each other they can get if they are going to survive this.

* * *

It feels like hours, days even, pass as the two sorcerers continue battling for their lives. But they are making progress. Only three wyverns now remain, the rest having been either injured by Morgana or ordered away by Merlin.

The warlock and the witch nod grimly at each other. She will hold off the other two while he commands the third away. Then it will be two on two, and they will emerge victorious.

Merlin focuses his efforts on the third wyvern, beginning to chant, or rather, roar, an incantation that will send it winging away to the other side of the Isle. He can hear the loud thuds of Morgana's spells making impact with the other creatures as he speaks, and finishes the command. His wyvern lets out an irritated screech, turns sharply and flies away. He sighs in relief. However, he does not see that one wyvern from Morgana's pair has managed to avoid her attack, executed a tight arc in the air, and is now diving towards him, with fangs bared. _She_ does, on the other hand, and focuses all of her concentration on this one threat to him.

"Merlin, _look out_!" Morgana flings out her arm, turning her back to the other beast, and screams, " _Forbærne! Ácwele_!" Her irises flash gold as a massive flaming sphere smashes into the wyvern's chest, sending it hurtling into one of the stone walls, collapsing in a heap.

His jaw drops as he stares at the crumpled form of the beast, unable to tear his eyes away from the creature that had just about caused his death. "You saved me..."

She gives a shaky smirk as she tries to make light of the situation, turning back to face their final reptilian opponent. "Well, I can't just let you-"

Her sentence is cut short, replaced by her own piercing shriek. He whirls, and it is like time has slowed down. Watching and unable to move as he sees her take the full brunt of an attack from above, wicked, grey wyvern claws digging into her shoulder and chest.


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello, my lovely readers! I am finally finished with school, and decided I have been mean enough with the recent long waits in between chapter updates so there was no point in taking any longer to get this posted! Thank you so much for your patience and sticking with this story. There is a light at the end of the tunnel now, and the last several chapters are starting to take shape. I will do my best to get them written and uploaded in a timely fashion.**

 **As per usual, thank you to all those who reviewed, favourited, and followed. And of course, thanks for reading! It means the world that you are enjoying this story. If you have a moment to let me know what you think, please drop a review as I'd love to hear from you! ;)**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that it makes up for the long wait and the cliffhangers.**

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

The beast lifts her into the air momentarily, then drops her back to the ground. Morgana grabs her left shoulder as she makes impact with the earth, legs buckling underneath her.

" _No! MORGANA!_ " Merlin howls and races over to her crumpled form, now shuddering on the ground. _Where the hell had that thing come from?_ They had had the upper hand...

Or so he had foolishly thought.

Feeling an intense rage building up inside of him, he glares up at the circling reptile, its claws stained with her blood. His eyes glow gold, something snaps inside him and he is screaming, screaming something in Draconic. He has no idea what he is saying until the wyvern _explodes_ in the air above them.

Merlin instantly turns back to his wounded companion, not even pausing to think about the fact that he has just _killed_ a wyvern using his dragonlord abilities. That's not important right now.

"No, no, no, please. Please, no," he utters, over and over. Gently turning Morgana onto her back, he examines her injuries, and is horrified to see a ragged gash running over her left side, coming to an abrupt end in the form of a deep puncture in her chest. The gaping hole is steadily pulsing blood, creating a vile, dark stain which spreads across the blue material of the shirt she is wearing.

Healing spells. That's what she needs. Hastily untying the cloth from around her neck with shaking fingers, he packs it into the wound while muttering a spell to stop the bleeding. It slows somewhat, but is still draining out of her at an alarming speed. He tries another, then another, but he doesn't seem to be able to do anything more. Healing has never been his strong point. Damn it, why didn't he pay more attention to learning about it? Her skin is taking on an abnormally pale tone, this is bad. This is really, really bad...

He gathers her up in his arms, taking an eerily familiar position as he holds her dying once again. Only when he is cradling her head on his lap does he realize that he is crying, and a few tears have splashed down onto her face. The fact that her death will bring about his own has not even crossed his mind; he simply mourns for his friend, to hell with anything else.

At the sensation of the drops on her face, Morgana's eyes flutter open. She tries to raise a hand to wipe them away, but winces, allowing a moan of pain to escape from her lips as the torn flesh on her shoulder objects.

"Is it raining?" she asks, disoriented.

Somehow, a gentle chuckle is released from Merlin's throat at her question. He wipes away his tears from her face, but is unable to make his voice work to answer her question.

They simply stay there, him stroking her forehead as she tries to focus her eyes on his. It doesn't take long for her brain to register that she is hurt, to remember the sensation of claws in her shoulder, to take in the despair etched across Merlin's face.

What comes to her through the pain is how she has caused him grief once again, and all she wants is to make him smile one last time before she dies. Granted, it won't be the same as seeing _him_ smile, but the emotions involved are the same and it is him in there, after all. So she makes a feeble attempt at a joke, and it comes out in a whisper. "How is it that every time I die you are there to hold me?" She tries to laugh softly but the movement hurts her, so she settles for giving him a smirk, even though by this point she _knows_ darn well that it really is a mess on his face.

But her words do not make him smile. His face contorts and crumples, and a horrible choking noise comes from the back of his throat. "I am so, so sorry. I have let you down so many times... If I had never done it, if I had made the right choices you wouldn't be dying, because of me, _again_. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He shakes his head slowly, squeezes his eyes shut, as if he is trying to deny that this is happening.

"Merlin, shhh, listen to me, look at me," she manages to croak out. His eyes open to meet hers, and she continues. " _I'm_ sorry, for everything. I'm sorry I turned against you, I was lost and angry and scared, and I was wrong. And I'm sorry I let my guard down because," and here her voice catches, "because now you're going to die, too, and I don't want that." Her eyes have filled with tears, but she refuses to let them fall. If she is going to die, damn it, she is going to die with her pride and strength intact. She pulls in one more shuddering breath. "Merlin... Thank you for helping me."

At this, her eyes flutter closed, and Merlin is nearly swallowed by his despair until he realizes that she is still breathing shallowly. But deep down, he knows this time she will not be reopening her eyes.

"No, no, no."

He can't bear to lose her again, not after all they've gone through, not like this. A strange sense of calm washes over him as he comes to realize that soon, he, too, will be dead. Though, if he is dead, he will be with her. Truly, that is all he wants right now. At peace with his fate, he continues to stroke her forehead, feels her heartbeat slowing and can feel his own responding in kind. It will be over in a matter of minutes. A dark haze begins to take over the edges of his vision. _Soon..._

And he closes his eyes, allowing the darkness to take him, welcoming it. At the same time the last remaining wyvern stirs and returns to consciousness, prepared to fulfill its duty as the ruby's guardian and finally eliminate the threat.

* * *

The beast shakes its body, loosening its cramped and injured muscles. It knows pain right now, can feel where it was scorched by the fire attack. Being a creature of magic, however, particularly one belonging to the dragon family, it will take much more than that to bring it to its death.

Its pupils are slits as it stares at the two unmoving human forms in front of it. The wyvern tilts its head, sizing them up. It does not fear small creatures such as these, but it knows that they were the ones who brought it pain. They do not seem to be in a position to do so now, it seems. The scent of blood is in the air, human blood, and they both appear to be close to death even though only one is bleeding. But it can hear their hearts beating, faint as the sound may be, and therefore they are a threat.

Instinct take over through the pain, and the wyvern slinks forward, coiling its muscles ready to strike. It has a job to do. And it launches through the air, ready to finish off the two unsuspecting sorcerers.

A small yet fierce snarl pierces the air, and a streak of white collides with the wyvern's side before it reaches its prey. The beast tumbles off course and lands heavily on the ground. It raises its battered head to see what _new_ assailant has attacked it this time.

A tiny white dragon with piercing blue eyes stands in front of the fallen witch and warlock, her back raised and head lowered in a defensive posture. She snarls again at her larger cousin, who locks its blood red gaze onto her bright blue one.

Small as she may be, the white dragon exudes an aura of power, and eventually the wyvern drops its gaze in respectful submission. She squawks at it, clearly communicating that it is to leave and not return to attack these humans. The wyvern obeys.

Aithusa watches it fly away with calculating eyes. Once the grey shape has vanished into the distance, she turns her attention to the one who called her from her egg and his companion. She cocks her head at them. Interestingly, the one whose dark presence she has sensed on many an occasion as a hatchling seems to be lightening, and she assumes this is because of the Dragonlord.

 _Good_. Even though she is young, she, too, possesses immense knowledge of what is to be, and she knows that if these two work together they will accomplish great things.

But only if they live to do so!

Concentrating her power on healing the two sorcerers, Aithusa closes her eyes and breathes magic over the two of them. Opening them again to check her work, she sees that the wound on the witch's shoulder and chest have healed, and she is breathing shallowly. Her blood-drained face slowly regains colour. The Dragonlord is slumped over but lets out a quiet groan.

They are still too injured to move. Even with the help of dragon magic, the two humans will need some time to recover before they regain consciousness. After all, they are not dragons, and were on the very brink of death when Aithusa arrived.

Pressing herself against the two prone forms to share her warmth, Aithusa curls up beside them, keeping watch over her two new friends.

* * *

 **One minor point of clarification: the wyvern that wakes up and attempts to kill our favourite M's is the one that Morgana knocked unconscious against a wall to protect Merlin in the last chapter, not the one that attacked her. I realized how it's written is not terribly clear, but the latter is very much dead.**


End file.
